Questions remain over the progress over a huge 20-storey hotel in the heart of Cardiff.
Custom House in the city centre is set to be transformed into a Premier Inn, which would run a 248-bedroom hotel across 20 storeys.
Work has begun on the building and black cladding is still visible on the building's facade, however it is currently unclear what is happening with the project.
Read more: The impressive buildings promised for Cardiff and what we got instead
A public notice on the doors to the construction site cays that the project is currently closed. The same notice was
Planning permission was granted by Cardiff council back in 2017 for the new hotel, as well as demolition of the York Hotel and most of the Custom House. It was originally planned to open in 2019.
But WRW Construction, based in Llanelli, collapsed in July after coming under “significant financial stress”. The company employed more than 100 people. WRW's website currently says that it is "temporarily unavailable."
A spokesperson for Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn , told WalesOnline recently: "We are currently waiting for news of the appointment of a replacement principle contractor following the collapse of WRW Construction in the summer."
Back in March 2018, it was announced that Aviva Investors, through its Lime Property Fund, agreed to fund the hotel, bar and restaurant scheme at the site of the empty Custom House and York Hotel buildings at the bottom of St Mary Street in a deal worth £34m.
Demolition work of the former York Hotel and elements of Custom House was already underway when the deal was announced. The facade of the Custom House, a grade-II listed building built in the middle of the 1800s, was kept as part of the development.
Aviva Investors, however, said that they were not in a position to comment.
Grant Thornton, who were called in as administrators, and WRW were both contacted and asked to comment.
The building has received a mixed reception from local residents.
One resident wrote on Facebook that the building is "a blot on the landscape, absolutely appalling design and colour scheme."
What do you think of the development? Let us know in the comments below
Another wrote that they had dubbed the building "the cheese grater."
However, some residents have responded more positively to the development.
One wrote on Facebook: "Much as I really do agree with all the comments condemning this monstrosity, I’m glad that it is a hotel and not not more potential high end apartments being built under the cover of student accommodation.
"We need more hotels in the city to make room prices more competitive and then we will get more visitors, with the associated revenue that they will bring to the area."
Another wrote: "Looks far better than what was there being left to rot."
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