The Tragic Landlord

Deep within the heart of The City Gate Hotel lies one of Exeter’s most disturbing supernatural presences - the tortured spirit of a former landlord whose tragic end continues to cast a shadow over the building. This haunting represents one of the most compelling examples of how traumatic death can leave an indelible mark on a location, creating psychic disturbances that persist long after the physical event has passed.

The tragedy occurred in the hotel’s kitchen, where a previous landlord, overwhelmed by circumstances that history has not fully recorded, made the devastating decision to end his own life. The method and exact timing remain shrouded in local discretion, but the aftermath has created one of the most documented and unsettling hauntings in Exeter’s paranormal landscape.

What makes this ghostly presence particularly remarkable is not just the human witnesses who sense his tormented energy, but the profound reaction of animals to his continued presence. Cats brought into the hotel exhibit extreme and immediate distress when approaching the specific area where the landlord died. These animals, typically sensitive to supernatural energy, begin spitting and shaking uncontrollably, their fur standing on end as they refuse point-blank to enter the space. This reaction is so consistent and dramatic that staff members have learned to avoid bringing cats into the building, and local pet owners report their animals becoming agitated even when passing near the hotel’s kitchen entrance.

The landlord’s spiritual presence manifests as an overwhelming sensation of despair and anguish that seems to permeate the very fabric of the kitchen area. Staff members describe feeling suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and emotional pain when working alone in this space, particularly during quiet evening hours when the building settles into darkness. Some report sensing someone watching them from the shadows, accompanied by a distinctive chill that seems to emanate from the exact spot where the tragedy occurred.

The haunting appears to be that of an intelligent spirit rather than mere residual energy, as the phenomena change in intensity and seem to respond to the presence of living people. Kitchen staff have reported experiencing sudden temperature drops when discussing the landlord’s story or when working late into the night. Some have described hearing faint sobbing or sighs that seem to come from within the walls themselves, suggesting a spirit trapped between worlds, unable to find peace after his tragic decision.

This ghost represents the darker side of The City Gate Hotel’s paranormal activity, serving as a sobering reminder that not all supernatural encounters are merely mysterious or intriguing. The landlord’s presence speaks to themes of mental anguish, desperation, and the way traumatic events can bind a soul to the earthly plane. His continued manifestation in the kitchen serves as both a warning about the lasting impact of tragedy and a poignant testament to the emotional energy that can survive physical death.

The consistency of animal reactions and human witnesses suggests that whatever drove this former landlord to his desperate act, his spirit remains trapped in the very location where his earthly suffering reached its tragic conclusion, unable to move on and find the peace that eluded him in life.