The Kings Hotel Stokenchurch, a historic 16th-century coaching inn, suffered a devastating fire in October 2021 that has left the hotel closed indefinitely.
Kings Hotel Stokenchurch History
The blaze started in the kitchen shortly after 8:20 pm on Friday, October 8th, and quickly spread to the roof of the newly renovated building. Guests and staff were evacuated by 9:55 pm, and firefighters from several counties, including Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, and London, worked to control the fire, which was under control by 8:00 am the next morning.
The fire caused significant damage to the hotel, with the roof collapsing into the building's interior. Photos taken after the incident show the fire-blackened, mostly destroyed structure.
The owners of the hotel, Stokenchurch Property Ltd and Kings Hotel Trading Ltd, are currently suing their insurer, UK Insurance Ltd, for £8.5 million in losses caused by the fire.
However, the insurer claims it is not liable due to alleged breaches of the insurance policy by the defendants.
Despite the damage, the Kings Hotel was added to Buckinghamshire Council's Local Heritage List in 2021, recognizing its importance as a landmark in Stokenchurch. The entry on the list expresses hope that the shell of the building can be retained.
The historic hotel, which once accommodated King Charles II in 1680, remains closed as the legal dispute with the insurer continues. The owners have not yet announced any plans to rebuild the hotel.
Kings Hotel Stokenchurch Fire
How did the fire spread so quickly in the hotel?
Based on the search results, there are a few key factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the fire at the Kings Hotel in Stokenchurch:
1. The age of the building:
- The Kings Hotel was a 16th-century coaching inn, with an old and likely wooden structure.
- The age and construction materials of the historic building allowed the fire to spread quickly from the kitchen to the roof.
2. The layout and design of the hotel:
- The fire started in the kitchen and then "travelled quickly to the roof of the building" due to the building's age and design.
- The open layout and interconnected spaces of the hotel facilitated the rapid spread of the flames.
3. Lack of modern fire safety features:
- As an old building, the Kings Hotel likely lacked modern fire detection, containment, and suppression systems that could have slowed the fire's progression.
- The lack of adequate fire safety measures allowed the blaze to spread unchecked through the historic structure.
In summary, the combination of the Kings Hotel's age, construction materials, layout, and lack of modern fire safety features all contributed to the fire spreading rapidly through the building, causing extensive damage. The historic nature of the structure made it highly vulnerable to such a devastating blaze.
