Look: Former Ship Hotel in Pill to be restored as flats

Alexandra Court in Pill, which was once the Ship Hotel, will offer 39 newly refurbished homes and is expected to be completed in nine months.

The 19th century four-story property, on the corner of Alexandra Road and Mill Parade is one of the largest buildings in the area.

It was first converted into residential homes back in 1973 for the elderly who were losing their homes as part of regeneration work in Pill.

The former Ship Hotel was first converted into flats in the 70s.

Today the building comprises 39 residential apartments, seven of which are one bedroom apartments and 32 are studio apartments.

The former hotel sold at auction for £1.3m back in 2020, with the investor said to be keen on improving the area.

The availability of housing in Pill has been a contentious issue in the area for some time – with residents expressing their frustrations about the effectiveness of recent regeneration work.

Lifelong Pill resident Deb Yeates, who lives near to Alexandra Court, said: “It will be lovely to see the building refurbished.

Work is underway to restore Alexandra Court in Pill. (Picture: Glynn Thomas)

“I just hope that the neighbours will be as lovely as the ones we’ve had in the past.

“They turned it into flats back in the 70s. It was for all the elderly people living in Pill that were losing their homes because of the regeneration work that was going on down here. “I can remember it being renovated for that when I was about 12 or 13.”

Surveyor Debra Bisley, of the auction business, said: "Alexandra Court, a really large and imposing property, was sold to an investor pre-auction for £1.3m."

She said: "The investor who bought the property was interested in the area of Pill and in helping the area to improve further. They believe the investment will help regenerate the area, giving Pill a real boost."