Hotel boss retires as Lady Anne's closes
A HOTEL is temporarily closing while its owners re-apply for planning permission for a major refurbishment.
The Lady Anne's Hotel in High Street St Martin's, Stamford, will close on Sunday, April 4. Its owners The Burghley House Preservation Trust said it would be "revisiting" a planning application for the hotel revamp over the coming months.
District councillors rejected plans by the trust to double the hotel's size by providing 50 bedrooms, a conference centre, meeting room, extended restaurant and bar in August. They expressed reservations about the scale of the proposal and traffic problems in High Street St Martin's.
The hotel will reopen once it has been refurbished although the trust couldn't say when that would be.
Popular hotelier Geoff Hastings, who has been in charge of the hotel with his wife Anne and son Warren, is retiring after 30 years.
Mr Hastings declined to comment but the trust said it wished him well for the future.
A trust spokesman said: "Geoff Hastings and his wife Anne have made an enormous contribution in running the hotel which has become a popular focal point of the town for the community and businesses in the area.
"Mr and Mrs Hastings have decided to take this opportunity to retire and hand over the management of the hotel to the Burghley House Preservation Trust, which will work closely with the planning authority to take this Stamford landmark into the next generation."
Backed by the community, Mr Hastings fought a long battle to stop the refurbishment plans from being given the go-ahead.
The temporary closure of the hotel leaves many groups which use it searching for a new home.
The Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley has used the hotel since the group was formed 27 years ago.
Club president Chris Harrison-Smith said the group would be relocating to neighbouring hotel the Garden House.
He said: "We are going to miss the Lady Anne's Hotel as I am sure many other groups and societies will. It will be a very sad day when it closes because the hotel is part of the community.
"We have known Geoff for many years and although we are very sorry to see him leave, we wish him and Anne well for th eir retirement."
The Stamford branch of the Royal British Legion has been holding its monthly meetings there for the last three years.
Branch secretary Steve Bonde said: "Geoff has done an awful lot for the community and it is a crying shame that he is going. It will be sad when it closes but we look forward to seeing it after the revamp."
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Monday 06 February 2012
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