A DECAYING riverside hotel in South Oxfordshire could reopen after years of standing as an ‘eyesore’ on the banks of the Thames.

There are fresh hopes for the future of the run-down Upper Reaches hotel in the heart of Abingdon, which has been boarded up since 2015 after the current leaseholder Contemporary Hotels Ltd closed the building citing a ‘prolonged period of losses’.

Since then, ongoing controversy about its fate has surrounded the hotel and frustrated locals even argued that the people who have let the building 'rot' should be prosecuted.

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However, a spokesperson for Vale of White Horse District Council revealed: “The council is very keen to see the site back in active use as soon as possible and discussions are ongoing to help that happen.”

Until this June, the future of Upper Reaches remained unclear after a developer pulled out of discussions with the local authority.

The council, which holds the freehold for the site, did not confirm who the interested parties were or whether it was another developer, but this could be a step closer for Abingdon residents who have been campaigning for years for the council to revitalise the site.

A public post on Facebook shared last month showed a number of photographs of the ‘decaying’ hotel.

It gathered a lot of attention from locals concerned of its future and many shared fond memories.

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Abingdon resident Roland Sparling commented: “I had my wedding reception there 48 years ago, and two family events since, the last one in 2010.

“Its current state is horrendous and a real blot on the landscape.”

Another Facebook user Clare Redman shared: “We had our wedding reception there 21 years ago, and went back there a few times for our anniversary.

“Such a lovely hotel in a lovely setting.”

Another Abingdon local Vaughan Harried even said: “It was a beautiful restoration, whoever let it rot should be prosecuted.”