Revamp pledge for plush hotel
The new owner of an historic country hotel has vowed to restore it to its former glory after completing a big money takeover to secure its future.
Butterfly Hotels finalised a deal to take on the lease of Himley Country Hotel, near Wombourne, in South Staffordshire, yesterday.
A skeleton staff has kept it open, honouring outstanding commitments such as weddings, since January 14 while negotiations over the takeover continued. The previous operator went bust and around 20 employees were made redundant.
They can apply for new positions with Butterfly, owner and operations manager Clive Nicholls confirmed. Between 15 and 20 jobs are up for grabs.
Mr Nicholls said the deal takes Butterfly's portfolio to 10 UK hotels.
"This is absolutely great for us, it's a fantastic acquisition," he said.
"It is in need of a bit of tender loving care.
"We will fill it up again, serve great food and put it back on the map where it should be."
Decorators have already been lined up for Monday, Mr Nicholls said, and long-term refurbishment is also in the pipeline.
Ruth Hynda, general manager at the 72-bedroom former Victorian schoolhouse in School Road, said: "We are very pleased. It is very good for the future and for our customers, and new positions are also being created."
The hotel had been up for sale with an asking price of £3.5 million for months, and council planners agreed a change of use to a care home.
