Hotel hit by sudden closure to reopen

The historic Talbot Hotel at Stourbridge, which closed suddenly, is set to reopen next week, it has emerged.

Owners Westbourne Leisure say the new tenants will start trading as a hotel but are staying tight-lipped over their identity.

Guest bedrooms are being revamped ready for the reopening. Staff who were given notice following the shock closure are hoping to regain their old jobs with the new operator. Operations manager Hayden Small said: "The hotel's looking to reopen as of next week with a new operator.

"The hotel has undergone certain refurbishment, which is not major but not minor either.

"Everyone's looking forward to getting the hotel back open and trading again.

"At some point next week it should be ready to trade as a hotel."

But Mr Small said he could not reveal the name of the new operator who has outbid the boss of controversial Stourbridge lapdancing club Heaven. Manager Alastair Rose made an unsuccessful bid to take over the landmark hotel and had been in talks with Westbourne Leisure about securing a lease on The Talbot.

He said negotiations were no longer continuing and he had been informed by the owners that there were other candidates in the running to seal the deal, who had more hotel experience.

The historic High Street coaching inn suddenly closed days before Christmas. Around 20 workers were told they were losing their jobs and festive functions booked in advance were cancelled.

Westbourne Leisure said at the time they had no choice but to close the hotel.

Details of staff who lost their jobs have been passed on to the new leaseholder.

The business had previously been run by tenant Alan Whitehead trading as Midlands Hotels Ltd before the closure. A creditors' meeting was held in Birmingham last week to discuss the future of the company.