Jobs on way as troubled Stafford hotel is rescued after £1.65 million sale
A landmark hotel in Stafford has been saved by a buyout, weeks after it went on the market, it was revealed today, in a move set to create 20 jobs.
New owners SGL Management Ltd met the £1.65million price tag for Tillington Hall.
The hotel is now out of administration and is being managed by Hospitality First. Bosses today said the Eccleshall Road hotel would undergo an extensive refurbishment in a few weeks and that 20 extra workers were being taken on. Andrew Sanders, who is the new general manager, said: "We met the asking price and have secured the sale.
"We'll be adding at least three or four members of staff to each department and have started advertising for those positions. The hotel will undergo a significant refurbishment. We've already had a building team in to look round." He said the improvement works would start in the next two or three weeks.
Guest bedrooms, function rooms and public areas will be spruced up with new furniture, carpets and wallpaper, and some of the rooms will be redesigned.
But he said there would be no major building works or any extensions added. Mr Sanders added: "We'll be giving it a cosmetic refurbishment like new carpets, new furniture, wallpaper, and we'll be redesigning the rooms. We'll be spending a substantial amount but we want to keep the character it currently has." The 33-year-old said the revamp would help to modernise the hotel.
It was revealed in March that administrators from Moorfields Corporate Recovery had been placed in control of Tillington Hall after being called in by the banks due to mounting unpaid debts.
It put 48 jobs at risk but the hotel remained open. It was put up for sale by estate agents Colliers a few weeks ago. The three-star, 91-bedroom venue caters for weddings and conferences for up to 250 people.
Mr Sanders revealed that Tillington Hall is set to become a Best Western-branded hotel, but added that it would keep its name.
