A group has been set up to try and find a way to restore the town's Royal Hotel to its former glory.

'SAVE THE ROYAL! - The Royal Hotel Community Action Plan' was formed with a view to organising a plan to save it from destruction and decay.

So far, the group has been in the form of an online Facebook page.

But now a public meeting has been organised for January 30, at 6.30pm, to discuss the way forward - with many residents in Ashby concerned about the future of the building which is almost 200 years old.

At the moment, the meeting is planned to be held at Zamani's restaurant in Market Street.

But those plans may have to change if more than 50 people want to attend.

The group has posted details of how meeting will take shape and says: "This is an open forum meeting to discuss the way forward, agree some immediate action points, and fact find.

"There are different points of view at present, so initially, let's get as much information as possible about the current position.

"Please bring ideas and supporting facts (eg, if we were looking to crowdfund, how does it work and how the platforms work/differ).

"With the amount of interest it seems sensible to elect a "steering committee". Should this be done at this meeting or at a future meeting when we've had an idea of what direction the consensus is taking us?

"Please, if you've committed to attending honour that - it makes a difference regarding the venue.

"Pejman has kindly offered his restaurant as the venue, but if numbers are *significantly* more than 50 it makes a difference. So please update your status!"

The current state of the hotel means it has been empty for almost four years with the windows sealed and no access to the car park.

The Royal was being run by a company called Oakland Hotels which included locally-based Mr Dawson as one of its directors.

But cost of renovation was put at £3.5million and, since then, a planning application for the erection of a 30 apartment terrace, office building, cafe kiosk and 45 senior living apartment block with associated car parking has been made - with the promise of using the proceeds to fund the restoration and re-opening of the Royal.

It is now almost four years since Mr Dawson closed the Royal and two and a half years since planning permission was applied for.

But local councillors say the hotel building has been allowed to deteriorate and, last November, the vacant building was added to Historic England's 'at risk' register.

There is an 'open' planning application on the site but Historic England's assessment did not make encouraging reading.

The Royal Hotel, originally called the Hastings Hotel, was built in 1826 to accommodate visitors to the growing spa in Ashby.

It has a Doric porte-cochère - a covered entrance large enough for vehicles to pass through - and additional Doric columns in its hall inside.