Luxury Wedding Venue Enters Liquidation, Over 90 Jobs Lost

A luxury wedding venue’s entry into liquidation has resulted in the loss of over 90 jobs. Stapleford Park Hotel, located in Leicestershire, ceased its operations and cancelled all scheduled bookings on 16 October. On Thursday, it was confirmed that Leonard Curtis has been appointed as the liquidator for Stapleford Park Limited. The firm stated that the hotel company did not hold ownership of the Grade-I listed property, which is situated near Melton Mowbray, adding that the property’s future “remains uncertain at this stage.” The venue’s closure has led to the redundancy of 92 staff members. This location previously welcomed celebrities, such as the late US pop star Michael Jackson. Alex Cadwallader of Leonard Curtis, who serves as joint liquidator alongside Neil Bennett, commented: “Our priority was to ensure the most orderly wind-down of trading possible.” He added: “Significant efforts were made to communicate with and relocate the guests that were staying at the hotel, which was at approximately 50% occupancy.” “Leonard Curtis attended the site and worked closely with front of house staff to make this possible, and the wider group also met some essential costs to limit the impact on guests and future bookings.” “However, we fully appreciate that some guests will have been adversely impacted.” The estate encompasses a Grade-I listed mansion, surrounded by 500 acres of parkland, and offers 48 guest rooms. The liquidator indicated that the company operating the hotel “was unable to generate the turnover required,” even “despite efforts to reach profitability.” Individuals who had planned to host their wedding receptions at the hotel expressed being “flabbergasted” upon learning of their cancelled bookings. For additional information, follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Submissions for story ideas can be sent to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Details on its approach to external linking are available.