MONTH IN REVIEW
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ADMINISTRATION
Four Richardson
Group hotels up
for sale following
administration
news
Four hotels have been placed on the
market following the administration
of Richardson Hotels and Fowey
Hotel Limited, part of the Richardson
Group hotel chain.
Back in January it was announced
that five of the hotels in the six-strong
chain had been put into administration.
Sector specialist Colliers International
has now been instructed by joint
administrators Mark Boughey and
Matthew Wild of RSM Restructuring
Advisory LLP to sell the Metropole
Hotel in Padstow; the Falmouth Hotel,
Falmouth; the Fowey Hotel in Fowey;
and the Grand Hotel, Torquay.
All hotels will continue to trade on a
business as usual basis until a buyer
is found.
Ed Jefferson from the South West
Hotels team at Colliers International
said: “Richardson Hotels L imited and
Fowey Hotel Limited have gone into
administration, creating a unique
opportunity for hotel operators to
acquire some of the best-known hotels
on the South West peninsula. All have
great features that will appeal to a wide
range of buyers.
“Interested parties are invited to
make an offer either individually, in
clusters or as a group. Our clients will
decide what offer or combination of
offers to accept in order to satisfy the
needs of the administration.”
The 58-room four-star Metropole
in Padstow is located in an elevated
position on the banks of the Camel
March 2018
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Estuary,and is adjacent to Rick Stein’s
flagship restaurant.
The Grade II-listed, three-star
Falmouth Hotel is located overlooking
Castle Beach. It has 71 en suite rooms.
The Fowey Hotel is a four-star boutique
hotel which has 37 en suite rooms.
The final property for sale is the
four-star Grand Hotel located on
Torquay seafront and has been the
bay’s landmark hotel since it was
built in Victorian times. It has 132 en
suite letting rooms, and a main bar
and brasserie, plus three additional
function/banqueting rooms.
REGULATION
Hotel faces
£34,000 fine after
RAF pilot falls to
his death
The White Lion hotel in Worcestershire
has been fined £34,000 after an RAF
pilot fell 20ft to his death.
According to a report by the Forces
Network sergeant Christopher James
was found lying on the pavement by a
motorist after he accidentally fell 20ft
from an floor window in 2015.
In May 2016, a jury ruled that he
was not “overly drunk” and recorded
a verdict of accidental death at
Worcestershire Coroner’s Court.
However in February 2018 hotel
owners Jonathan and Christine Lear
admitted to a breach of general duty
on behalf of the partnership running
the hotel. They were handed fines of
£34,000 and ordered to pay £49,000
costs at Worcester Crown Court.
Judge Nicholas Cole said: “I take the
view the prosecution were correct in
describing the failure to include in a risk
assessment any mention of falls from
windows as a glaring omission.
“Had the question of the windows in
the upper bedrooms been considered
this would have been considered as an
obvious risk and steps put in place.”
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AWARDS
The Torridon
becomes an
AA-listed
five-star hotel
The Torridon Hotel in Scotland has
been awarded a five-star accreditation
by the AA.
Set on the edge of a sea loch
overlooked by the Torridon
mountains, the property has 18
individually-designed bedrooms
that combine Victorian styles with
contemporary design.
Dan Rose-Bristow, owner, said: ‘We
are very happy to have been given a
five-star listing by the AA. The Torridon
offers a consistently high level of
service, we are continuously refreshing
bedrooms and the 1887 restaurant
is renowned for its top-class menus
– to receive recognition for this is
extremely satisfying.”
QUOTE
OF THE
MONTH
“It is a very sad day
for us here. The fire
has taken hold of our
restaurant and coffee
lounge and the damage
is severe.”
A statement made by the
Breckland Lodge hotel in Norfolk
after a fire which required 14 fire
engines to put out tore through
the property.
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