overhill road hotel

[jim_the_chin]

I recall being interested in this building before the current renovation - it seems to have been called the Rockbank hotel? Anyone shed any light on it's history?

[SimonM]

I believe that for years it was hotel only for men - and no I don't understand the rationale either - but it has looked rundown for years - no decades! Is it actually being renovated as hotel or gutted and done up as flats?

[Amelie]

It is being turned into flats with new garages attached, there is a description on Southwark's planning applications page.

[James]

A hotel only for men? Sounds great!

"Young man, there's no need to feel down, I said, young man..." etc.

[ruthmct]

This is from the report for the planning application:

The existing building is currently known and operates as ?The Rockbank Hotel?

and has been providing accommodation for the homeless/refugees for some

years. The hotel has recently lost its contract for providing this accommodation

to the London Borough of Southwark and therefore is no longer viable

[dulwichmum]

Rockbank Hotel was actually a dreadful "hotel" (hostel)in the 1990's where unfortunate families were housed by Southwark council awaiting rehousing. There were families (many refugees who had experience of torture I seem to remember) with young children and babies accommodated in small rooms with no cooking facilities and inadequate heating, who were required to vacate their room all day and only allowed to return each night to sleep. It was completely barbaric. If it is closed now that is the best news. It was a dreadful hole of a place.

DM

[SeanMacGabhann]

Very interesting DM- I had often seen that place in passing and wondered if it really was a hotel

Now it seems it was closer to Hostel (the movie) than an hotel

[Keef]

Sad thing is, there are still a lot of places open that match your description perfectly DM.

[dulwichmum]

It puts everything into perspective I think.

DM

[dandy]

I Can remember when this was actually a Hotel!

I lived a few doors away from it and the main clientelle was what was then decribed as commercial travellers. This woul;d have been about 25 years ago. While we were living nearby, it became a halfway house. At this point the burgalary and car crime rates in our road went through the roof!

[miran35]

I prefer to book apartments not hotel like this Serviced Apartment in Sheffield