Morecambe hotel reopens after Boxing Day incident leaves 8 guests needing hospital treatment

The Royal Bar & Hotel in Marine Road Central reopened at 11.30am today (Wednesday, December 29) and has confirmed that its New Years Eve party will be going ahead at 8pm on Friday.

The venue was evacuated at around 9.45am on Sunday (December 26) after a number of guests collapsed from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Three ambulances were sent to the scene and a total of eight casualties were taken to hospital for treatment. The guests, all from the same family, have since been discharged.

Two fire engines from Morecambe also attended the scene and ventilated the building after being contacted by the ambulance service.

After evacuating everyone, police cordoned off the hotel whilst gas service engineers worked to make the area safe.

Today, a spokesperson for Lancaster City Council said: "The pub was visited by council officers on Wednesday (December 29), following which we were able to confirm that it could reopen.

"Further meetings are due to take place between the council and partner agencies to consider the next steps in the investigation."

The Royal Bar & Hotel has declined to comment, but a post on its Facebook page today confirmed that its New Year's Eve party will be going ahead on Friday.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said "enquiries are ongoing".

The force has asked anyone with information to call 101, quoting log reference number 0353 of December 26.

What did the guests have to say?

Kerri Smith, 45, said her family were among the guests rushed to Royal Lancaster Infirmary after collapsing at the Royal Bar & Hotel on Boxing Day.

She said her family, who were visiting from Manchester, are OK and have returned home after being discharged.

Today, she said: "We haven’t heard a thing from the Royal, not even a message asking how we are. Absolutely nothing and now they are advertising a New Year's Eve party.

"I had an hour with someone from police CID on Monday and I’ve rang them today for an update.

"They said the investigation is ongoing but the Council has let the hotel reopen today while it’s going on."

What happened?

Kerry said: "My nephew rang my son to say that his little boy had collapsed. My son went down to the Royal and when he got there, more of them had just suddenly collapsed.

"They are all OK and are back home now. They were all oxygenated at the hospital and their levels came down. It was just a waiting game and we were all waiting around worried to death.

"Luckily there won't be any lasting damage to their health, but we haven't heard anything since from the hotel or the police."