A POPULAR hotel and surrounding buildings had to be evacuated yesterday - as the emergency services were on the scene.

The Grand Hotel in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, had to be cleared of the public as the bomb squad were called to the site at around midday.

At the time, members of the public said they were not aware of what was going on as pictures showed large swathes of police and ambulances on the scene.

Read more: Huge hotel and nearby buildings evacuated - emergency services currently at scene

But last night, North Yorkshire Police confirmed the hotel and surrounding area had reopened following a bomb hoax.

The Northern Echo: Picture: GOOGLEPicture: GOOGLE

In a statement, they said the hotel had first received a phone call before specialist teams conducted thorough checks and found no evidence of any threat to the public.

They said: "We are pleased to say the incident at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough has been brought to a safe conclusion and the building and surrounding area have now reopened.

"At 10.15am this morning (Monday 4 October 2021) the hotel received a telephone call with what has now been proven to be a bomb hoax. Emergency services attended the area and evacuated the building and erected cordon as a precautionary measure.

"Specialist teams conducted thorough checks of the building and surrounding area and have found no evidence of any threat to public safety. Access to the building has now been authorised, staff and guests have been allowed to return and the cordon has been removed.

"The safety of everyone in the area and the emergency services who attended is our priority and we thank the staff, guests of the hotel and members of the public for their patience while we worked to establish the circumstances around the incident."

The Northern Echo: Picture: GOOGLEPicture: GOOGLE

The Travelodge hotel at St Nicholas Cliff, which is directly opposite The Grand, was among those buildings evacuated.

Witnesses who were in the area at time of evacuation said they had not been told anything, instead being told to wait by the cordon nearby.

The hotel at the scene of the incident

The hotel, which is owned by UK-chain Britannia Hotels, is among one of the region's most iconic buildings and dominates the town's skyline.

Built in the 1860s, the hotel overlooks the town's harbour and South Bay and is popular with tourists from across the North East, North Yorkshire and beyond. 

According to TripAdvisor, the hotel has a 2.5 out of 5-star rating, based on feedback left by almost 10,000 people.

Two floors of the hotel are being used to house Afghan refugees as part of the resettlement programme - while the rest of the building remains open to guests.

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