DEVELOPERS of the fire-hit site in High Town in Hereford have bought the adjoining Booth Hall pub.

Elevate Property Group is in the process of finalising negotiations with a local contractor to carry out work on the fire-damaged buildings to create 18 residential dwellings and two ground floor retail units.

The Booth Hall closed in August last year and it has been empty since. It is a separate building to 16 to 18 High Town but was also damaged in the 2010 fire.

Steve Dodd, managing director of Elevate Property Group, said: “The Booth Hall is a beautiful building and it made sense to acquire the property alongside our ongoing work on this historic part of High Town.

“We will initially be using The Booth Hall as a site office and storage facility for the overall project, but when our work on 16 to 18 High Town is done, we will look to restore the interior and bring it back to life.”

He said work was continuing behind the Grade II façade with county archaeologists continuing to record details of the Saxon rampart dating back to late 9th century AD.

Mr Dodd said: “As responsible developers, we are very conscious of the heritage of the cathedral city of Hereford and we want to ensure that we respect the history of the site, while ultimately bringing to the market much needed accommodation in this popular part of the city.

“We have selected a local contractor who has an impressive track record for sympathetic renovations on historic buildings including church and other ecclesiastical projects.

“Their commitment to quality and their work ethic mirrors our own.”

The project, which is called Alban House, is being overseen by development managers BACE Construction Consultants.

For more information, see elevatepropertygroup.co.uk/developments-grid/alban-house/