A hotel in Torquay, Devon, has been completely destroyed after being set on fire twice in two days. Police have now told DevonLive that the huge blaze which broke out on Sunday afternoon is being treated as a possible arson. The fire engulfed the abandoned Sherwood Hotel on Belgrave Road on April 5 leaving the building structurally 'unsafe.'
A spokesperson from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the disused hotel has been '100% destroyed by fire' which had a 'deliberate cause.' Around 90 firefighters attended the scene. Emergency crews had also been called to the hotel on Friday evening less than 48 hours earlier for a previous blaze.
The service's group commanding officer Ben Williams said the fire had consumed multiple floors within the building and the roof had completely collapsed in the blaze.
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "An investigation into the incident and the cause of the fire is ongoing at this time.
"If anyone has information or has any CCTV footage, doorbell footage etc, please contact police on 101 and quote log number 348 of 05/04/2026."
Shortly after the fire, Devon and Cornwall Police urged local residents to keep windows and doors shut due to the smoke.
It said: "Please avoid the area for the time being. The advice is for residents, and particularly those nearest to the hotel, to close all windows and doors to prevent any health issues.
Police applied a closure order in October 2025 after the building ceased taking paying guests and fell into serious disrepair amid reports of antisocial behaviour.
The order meant only authorised people could enter the property for a period of three months, effectively removing it from use as a functioning hotel.
In earlier years, the Sherwood Palm Hotel had been a well-regarded, family-run establishment, popular with holidaymakers visiting Torquay and the English Riviera.
Over time, however, its reputation declined and it got ranked last out of 77 hotels in Torquay on TripAdvisor, with some visitors comparing it to "Fawlty Towers" due to its deteriorating and rundown condition.
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