A HOTEL owner has said he will go bankrupt if the A449 remains closed and has criticised the council for its inability to provide a reopening date.
Matthew Cooke, who has run the Malvern Hills Hotel for 24 years, said the severely overrunning closure of the A449 near British Camp means his business is not viable anymore.
Worcestershire County Council has been unable to provide a confirmed reopening date.
The road has been closed since September 8, 2025 for repairs to a collapsed retaining wall, with reopening having been postponed, seemingly indefinitely, after a new landslip appeared earlier this year.
Serious impact on business
Mr Cooke, said he is currently “working for free”, and his fears about the impact on the hotel have been exacerbated by Herefordshire Council’s upcoming four-week closure of Jubilee Drive for maintenance works.
“My business is no longer viable,” he said. “I’m very, very upset. I have been working for free.
“I’m trying to string out my business for as long as I can.
“There will be a hotel here but it just won’t be me. It’s my entire life, I’ve been here 24 years.”
He said he has attempted to contact both councils but has struggled to get any response to his concerns.
“Neither Herefordshire Council or Worcestershire County Council are willing to engage with me,” he said.
“I’m not saying they have done anything wrong but I need to know if I’m already bankrupt.”
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Rumours over closure extension and funding
Rumours have been circulating among businesses and residents that the A449 will be closed until 2029 and that Worcestershire County Council will need extra funding from central government to complete the works.
Previously, the council did not confirm or deny if this was the case, but did say it had no reopening date.
Last week, the Malvern Gazette revealed that the road closure had already cost at least £2.2million. This did not include any costs relating to the new landslip.
“We are meeting with Mr Cooke to discuss his concerns regarding the A449 closure,” a Worcestershire County Council spokesperson said.
“To avoid the expected rumours around a scheme of this nature, the Council’s own website provides the most up to date information on the A449 British Camp scheme.
“Completion of the ground investigations and when the formal report is with us, will inform the most appropriate solution to this particular landslip, which is very different to the initial Wells Road repairs.
“Design of a scheme is progressing, and as soon as further confirmed details like timescales, are available, the website will be updated.”
Councillor Malcolm Victory, who represents Malvern Chase on Worcestershire County Council, expressed sympathy for affected businesses but said the works would “take time”.
“My heart goes out to all those businesses which have been badly hit by the closure, first for the repair lower down and then by this disaster, just as the first repair was complete,” he said.
WORKS: The A449 was initially closed for repairs to a collapsed retaining wall (Image: Malcolm Victory)
“However, we cannot change what has already happened, and I will continue doing my best to hasten the completion of the repairs.
“As far as we know, the road cannot bear any traffic, and completion will take time. A large sum of money has been allocated towards the repair of this landslide and another in Rochford near Tenbury. I will keep residents updated as the repair progresses.”
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‘Chaos’
CLOSURE: Jubilee Drive will close for four weeks for maintenance (Image: Edd Hogan)
Following the news of an additional closure at Jubilee Drive, which is due to be in place from September 14 to October 9, Cllr Victory said this would cause “chaos”.
“I was quite shocked when I heard from a resident that Jubilee Drive is to shut next week,” he said.
“As residents will understand, this will cause chaos in addition to that caused by the A449 closure.”
Herefordshire Council has been contacted for comment.