More than 10 days after a fire forced the evacuation of the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone, guests and residents remain unable to reclaim their possessions, vehicles and homes. Approximately 280 hotel guests and 90 nearby residents were evacuated when the blaze broke out at about 01:20 BST on 19 September. The hotel remains cordoned off as an active crime scene while Kent Police investigate the cause, which they believe may have been deliberate.
What happened to guests' belongings?
Guests who fled the hotel have described the frustration of being separated from essential items for more than a week and a half. Rob Hassan from Birchington lost two vehicles that were parked in the hotel's underground car park as part of a charity drive to Barcelona.
"There is nothing left of them at all,"he said.
"We'd like to see something from Britannia Hotels to say they are prepared to help us out."
Hassan highlighted the difficulty guests faced when evacuating.
"Most belongings in the hotel are still in there including prescription glasses and passports. People have said why didn't you grab a bag, or grab possessions. But when you are woken up by a fire alarm on the seventh floor in the early hours, the main thing is you have got to get out."
Maria Zheng from London has spent approximately £500 replacing essential items since the evacuation but remains uncertain about recovering her remaining possessions. Her belongings left in the hotel include two suitcases containing clothes, books, make-up, Lancome skincare products, jewellery and a digital piano. When asked when she expected to retrieve her items, she said:
"No idea at all."
Zheng explained that the hotel's status as an active crime scene and the possibility of structural demolition have prevented access to guest belongings.
"If they do not have access to the hotel, then there's nothing they can do,"she said. Britannia Hotels has not responded to inquiries from guests about their concerns, though the company previously stated that the site remained inaccessible due to the ongoing police investigation.
How have residents been affected?
Local residents evacuated from nearby properties have experienced significant disruption to their lives. John Dighton, who lives at Pavilion Court, has been unable to return to his home for more than a week and a half after being instructed to leave following the fire. Residents were told to take only a few days' worth of belongings, leaving many uncertain about when they could return permanently.
Dighton described the emotional toll of the prolonged displacement.
"It's horrible. It is absolutely horrible,"he said. When asked about living with the uncertainty, he added:
"It's very hard. It makes me feel like I'm back to being homeless again."
According to the local council, safety inspectors expressed concern that the basement fire may have weakened the hotel's structural integrity. Residents have been instructed to remain out of their homes until structural investigations are completed and the hotel's future is determined.
What is the status of the investigation?
Kent Police are treating the fire as suspicious and their investigation remains ongoing. According to Kent Police, investigators believe the fire may have been caused deliberately. A 38-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were arrested in connection with the fire and later released while enquiries continued.
The fire service confirmed that firefighting operations were completed by 21 September, though crews planned routine revisits to check for hotspots. Kent Police have appealed for witnesses and CCTV or dashcam footage from the area, particularly from 22:00 on 18 September to 01:30 on 19 September.
How have local businesses been impacted?
Businesses located on Folkestone's Harbour Arm have remained open despite the fire and changes to site access. Dan Johannsen, marketing manager for the leisure and retail site, explained that an alternative entrance has been established at the back of the hotel.
"Our businesses are fully open. It's basically back to normal for us, but we've just got a different way of driving onto the site."
Johannsen praised the hotel staff for their emergency response.
"I think the real story of this is the amazing work that the Burstin staff would have had to do in the early hours of that Saturday morning to get that many people out when the fire was raging. It's amazing that no-one has been injured,"he said.
Dave Smith, who operates Chummy's seafood stall, reported that business has not been severely affected as public access from the town remains available and visitors have been drawn to the area to view the fire damage. However, he expressed concern about the approaching winter and Christmas season.
"Business hasn't been affected so badly as we still have public access from the town and there's been a lot of people coming along to look at the fire damage. However, I am concerned about the winter and Christmas season as many of our customers are coach parties who stay at the Grand Burstin and they may not now be coming."
What is Britannia Hotels saying?
A spokesperson for Britannia Hotels, which operates the Grand Burstin, stated that the company was supporting affected guests while engineers completed structural assessments and police conducted their investigations.
"We are working as quickly as possible to determine the next steps but ensuring the safety of our colleagues and guests is our paramount priority."Britannia Hotels has indicated it is cooperating with Kent Police and supporting the investigation.
The hotel remains inaccessible as an active crime scene, preventing both guests from retrieving their belongings and residents from returning to their homes. The company has not provided a timeline for when access might be restored or when guests could expect to recover their possessions.
Key Facts
- Approximately 280 hotel guests and 90 residents were evacuated when the fire broke out at 01:20 BST on 19 September
- Kent Police are treating the fire as suspicious and believe it may have been caused deliberately; a 38-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were arrested and later released
- The hotel remains an active crime scene with structural concerns raised about potential basement fire damage
- Guests have been unable to retrieve belongings including passports, prescription glasses and vehicles for more than 10 days
- Local businesses remain open with alternative access, though coach party bookings for winter may be affected
