Two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a historic pub reportedly visited by King Charles I during the English Civil War went up in flames.
Thick plumes of smoke billowed out of the Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa on Sunday afternoon.
The derelict building, containing lots of old timber, burned rapidly as firefighters tried to save the Grade II-listed site.
People were forced to stand back as they watched the roof collapse as the flames took hold.
On Monday the charred remains of the pub remain as firefighters continued to douse down the site.
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The West Mercia force said: ‘Police attended a large fire at the Raven Hotel on St Andrews Street in Droitwich.
‘It was believed the fire had been started deliberately but thankfully nobody has been injured.
‘Two girls, 13 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of arson and have since been released on bail.’
Scaffolding was put up around the privately-owned building by Wychavon District Council after an incident in September 2024 where guttering and debris fell into the road.
The incident also prompted an urgent inspection by the authority, which found that the condition of the disused structure, part of which dates back to the 16th century, posed risks to the public.
The hotel, which closed over a decade ago, was in the middle of a conversion with developers looking to build new homes, a brine bath and a gin bar on the site.
One woman told ITV News: ‘Everyone in this town knows the Raven Hotel, although as far as I’m aware it’s not been in use for a while, it’s still a huge shock to see such an iconic building in flames.’
The pub has reportedly stood on the St Andrew’s site until it was reportedly damaged in a fire in 1290 and rebuilt in the 16th century.
King Charles I is thought to have lodged there for three days in May 1645 on his way to the siege of Leicester in the English Civil War.
The hotel ceased trading in 2010 and has fallen into significant disrepair, with vandals stealing roof tiles to expose the interior to the elements causing structural damage.
Last year, Wychavon District Council threatened legal action on the owner of the Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa, forcing them to begin works.
The incident also prompted an urgent inspection by the authority, which found that the condition of the disused structure, part of which dates back to the 16th century, posed risks to the public.
The district council said it shared the community’s upset and anger at the ‘devastating’ fire.
The council said in a statement: ‘We understand completely the strength of feeling and affection for this historic building and the significance it has for the town.
‘Over the last six months we had been working hard to ensure that urgent works were carried out to protect the building in line with the court order we secured late last year. These works were due to finish this week and we will still invoice the owner for payment.
‘We are working closely with the fire service and our building control officers were visiting the site this morning to review the building and advise of the next steps.
‘We will issue a further statement very soon, once we have an update regarding the state and safety of the structure.’
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