PHOTO: TONI MCDONALD
The hotel is being demolished for safety reasons and to clear space for the Bluff Oyster Festival.
The demolition crew had planned to break through earlier in the week but had been delayed by weather.
The hotel building, which is a combination of four buildings, is more than a century old and is owned by the trust which runs the festival.
It has been vacant for more than 20 years and has a Historic Places category two listing.
Its poor condition was causing a safety risk and the festival was canned last year because of fears it could collapse on to festival goers.
This year’s festival is set to go ahead on May 25 provided the hotel comes down.
By Toni McDonald
