Inside fire-ravaged hotel once linked to child sex abuse
Inside fire-ravaged hotel that was shut down after being linked to child sex abuse: Eerie images show remains of abandoned guesthouse with ‘666’ daubed on mirror, furniture torn apart and rooms vandalised
- The Clayton Lodge, Newcastle-under-Lyme was closed down in March 2020
- The following year the Staffordshire site was gutted by a devastating blaze
Eerie images from the inside of a fire-ravaged hotel, shut down after being linked to child sex abuse, have been revealed.
Council bosses closed The Clayton Lodge in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, in March 2020 amid claims it was linked to a paedophile ring.
The following year the site was hit by a devastating fire, and the property has been gutted ever since.
Now, an urban explorer has found the remains of the abandoned guesthouse and shared a series of spooky pictures.
One shows a mirror with graffiti that read ‘666’ – the number of the beast – with a symbol relating to the devil and sacrifice sprayed on it in bright green paint.
Eerie images from the inside of a fire-ravaged hotel, shut down after being linked to child sex abuse, have been revealed
Council bosses closed The Clayton Lodge in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, in March 2020 amid claims it was linked to paedophile ring
The following year the site was hit by a devastating fire, and the property has been gutted ever since
One image shows a mirror with graffiti that read ‘666’ – the number of the beast – with a symbol relating to the devil and sacrifice sprayed on it in bright green paint
In another, a bedroom has been ransacked, with what appears to be a massive knife stuck into one of two bibles on the mattress, which is also covered in stained sheets.
There was also a light switch that had been pulled out from the wall and pieces of the ceiling that had fallen to the floor.
In another vandalised room, discarded furniture such as a chest of drawers and bedside table were flipped on their side.
Meanwhile, one of the abandoned hotel’s hallways led to a dark and eerie opening, with smashed glass and discarded items such as lamps and pictures were scattered across the floor.
What was once the hotel bar has also been completely covered with dust and left to rot.
Photographer Rick Swindells, 37, from Congleton, Cheshire, said: ‘I knew about Clayton Lodge from the many articles about its closure, that discussed how it was shut down due to health and hygiene issues, as well as reports of under-age drinking and drug use.
‘I have also seen reports about paedophiles being arrested who carried out child sexual abuse at the hotel, which has led to many discussions about the owner and whether he was part of a larger paedophile ring.
‘I found out through these reports that known paedophiles in the area used to sadly lure underage girls there to spend the night, which is disgusting to say the least.
‘Across the sixty rooms, I found blood-stained sheets on the beds, bibles thrown across the hotel rooms, graffiti on the mirrors and walls, as well as debris and dust from the ceiling which had collapsed through due to a fire that broke out for unknown reasons.
One of the bedrooms’ seating areas had dust and debris scattered on the floor
Two of the hotel’s windows had been smashed in by vandals
One of the bedrooms had broken glasses and discarded furniture thrown around
Discarded beer tanks had been left behind unused at the Staffordshire hotel
The kitchen was also left in a mess, according to urban explorer Rick Swindells
However, the bathroom was largely left in a good condition
Ms Swindells said the downstairs lobby and reception were the worst affected rooms
What was once the hotel bar has also been completely covered with dust and left to rot
In another, a bedroom has been ransacked, with what appears to be a massive knife stuck into one of two bibles on the mattress, which is also covered in stained sheets
A piano left untouched for over a year remains ready to use
A discarded children’s ‘colour me in’ cook was left at the hotel
Despite some of the bedrooms being vandalised, others were still in pristine condition
The Clayton Lodge was a hotel established in 1993 where families could stay whilst visiting Newcastle-under-Lyme
An inspection in 2017 found that the hotel was serving under-age drinkers and had health and hygiene issues that claimed the kitchen was ‘filthy’
‘Despite this, most of the bedrooms are still in great condition, but the downstairs lobby and reception are the worst vandalised rooms by far.
‘I went during the day, as you never know who or what you’re going to find at these derelict buildings and luckily, I gained access from the front door which was left wide open.
‘It was exciting to explore, as it hasn’t been abandoned for very long – but due to its heart-breaking backstory, there was definitely an eerie feel throughout the building.’
The Clayton Lodge was a hotel established in 1993 where families could stay whilst visiting Newcastle-under-Lyme.
An inspection in 2017 found that the hotel was serving under-age drinkers and had health and hygiene issues that claimed the kitchen was ‘filthy’.
Due to a further investigation regarding four cases of child sexual exploitation, the hotel lost its license and was eventually shut down in March 2020 after failing to comply with these regulations and has been left derelict since.
Source: Read Full Article