The Grand Hotel, Leigh, photographed around 1900, shortly after it was opened.

The image is from Southend Libraries’ collection of historic picture postcards.

The hotel was bought by Thurrock businessman and ex-reality TV personality Mick Norcross but the revamp has been dogged by problems since he bought the lease in late 2013. 

It is planned to be converted into a boutique spa hotel.

The last post on the Twitter account set up online by Mr Norcross to promote the project (@GrandHotelLeigh) was a photo of a Japanese knotweed root, uplaoded on February 5. The caption read: “This is what has caused all the trouble – Japanese knotweed roots.”