A crumbling former hotel should be knocked down if there’s no interest in its future, a leading politician believes.

At a briefing today, members of Carlisle City Council’s ruling executive will discuss - among other things - any interest shown in transforming the old Central Plaza Hotel.

The deadline for parties to declare potential ambitions was New Year’s Eve, with councillors due to focus on the next steps for the Victoria Viaduct eyesore.

Les Tickner, the council’s deputy leader, thinks the only logical step is to knock the building down if no buyer is found.

“It has gone on for long enough,” he said. “Hopefully there is some interest that can move it forward. If not I will be suggesting we knock it down and build something similar on the same site.”

But, how much would that cost?

“There have been a few estimates, but I would say they are guestimates rather than estimates,” added Mr Tickner

“Until it is gone we can’t do anything. I don’t want to be having the same discussion this time next year.”

He continued: “If there is no expression of interest to take it forward we need to demolish it and build a new hotel.

“We need to acquire ownership of the building first, then we can look at all the possibilities.

“We need to get on with it.”

During the briefing of executive members, the body will look at how the city has performed in the last 12 months.

Elsewhere, in politics, leading county councillor Liz Mallinson, of Carlisle, has spoken of her optimism and said: “We had a tourism boost in the summer, which came from the Weeping Window poppy display. That was joined by the find in my ward (Stanwix Urban) of the Roman bath house at the cricket club, one of the best archaeological finds for a long time.

“There is also the bid with the Local Enterprise Partnership to improve the area around the station.”

Mrs Mallinson also pointed to progress made with the Borderlands Partnership and its aspirations, along with the acquisition of land to build the new Newman School.