THE results of an independent report into re-opening the Three Cups as a hotel has been delayed until the end of January.

Owners Palmers Brewery said the findings by hospitality specialists TRI Consulting will be published at the end of the month.

It will assess the market opportunity and financial viability of reconverting the Broad Street building into a working hotel, after lying empty for almost 20 years.

Nigel Jones of Chesterton Humberts, property agents for Palmers, said: “As experts in the field, TRI were asked to appraise the site and the market for hotel accommodation in and around Lyme Regis.

“We had hoped to receive the report in late December, but delivery has been delayed by the holiday season.”

Palmers last year announced multi-million pound plans to revamp the former hotel with a top-name restaurant, high-end apartments and shops.

But following increasing pressure from the Save the Three Cups as a Hotel Group to retain it as a hotel, the Bridport-based brewery agreed to ‘look again’ at its viability.

John Dover, chairman of the campaign group, said the committee had not heard of any further developments since before Christmas and is now eagerly awaiting the findings of the report.

Mr Dover said: “It’s still wait and hope but whether the expectations will be met, we will have to wait and see. We can do little more now until we have got something tangible to respond to.

“We are continuing to meet as a group and three of us from the committee have got another meeting in January with Robert Gould, leader of West Dorset District Council, and Dr David Evans, head of planning, generally to review progress, and they invited us.

“That was arranged before Christmas on the basis of our ongoing dialogue to try and build bridges with all parties.”

n Another of Palmers Brewery’s pubs still remains empty after closing down 11 months ago and there are still no plans to re-open it.

The Angel Inn at Mill Green was closed down last February but the brewery insisted the move was temporary.

A spokesman this week said there is still nothing to report on the empty pub.