Two derelict buildings close to a town's only chain hotel could be driving visitors away, residents fear.

The properties in Herne Bay – a house and a barn – either side of the footpath running between Blacksole Bridge and the Premier Inn in Margate Road have remained empty for about three years.

Over that time, they have fallen into a state of disrepair and been targeted by vandals on a number of occasions.

Ian Morris, from Mickleburgh Hill, believes they could intimidate passers-by.

“If somebody comes to stay at the hotel, they’d have to walk along that path to explore the town and it’s not a great advert,” said the 63-year-old.

“The house is an eyesore and an attraction for vandalism. It would put me off coming here again.

“I wouldn’t necessarily think it’s a safe area because you’ve got the barn on one side, the house on the other and you’re walking along a path between two bits of no man’s land.”

Beltinge councillor Ian Stockley says he started receiving complaints about the buildings since the footpath was opened in 2016, with one raising concerns for people’s safety inside the house.

“The house is an eyesore and an attraction for vandalism. It would put me off coming here again..." - Ian Morris

“At the time, we asked Canterbury City Council who owned it to see if it could be demolished or improved and we didn’t get a reply,” he added.

“If somebody comes to stay at the hotel, they’d have to walk along that path to explore the town and it’s not a great advert,” said the 63-year-old.

“For whatever reason the officers were unable to give us the details of those who owned it.”

Mr Morris says the house looks like it was once lived in, but that it is now boarded up, had parts of it “pulled down” and its windows smashed.

“There is some security around it now to prevent anyone from doing further damage to it,” he continued.

“I’m pretty certain that the broken windows on the top floor have turned the upstairs into a pigeon roost. It would look awful in there.”

Mr Morris is urging the council to apply for a compulsory purchase order for the properties, similar to the one it gained for the former Tivoli arcade in Central Parade.

However, council spokesman Rob Davies says the local authority will instead contact the owners of the buildings in order to ascertain what their plans are for the structures.

“We share the concerns of residents about the state of these two buildings, which are in quite a prominent location,” he said.

“We have carried out initial investigations to establish the ownership of them, and will be writing to the owners as a priority to establish what their plans are for this land.”

Read more: All the latest news from Herne Bay