Historic seafront hotels saved from closure in group buyout

The Grade II listed sites, the Carlton Hotel in Great Yarmouth and the Golden Lion Hotel in Hunstanton will reopen as part of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection, a newly formed group of former Shearings Hotels.

The Shearings Hotels group collapsed last summer owing more than £200m with 2,500 people losing their jobs.

The Golden Lion at Hunstanton (Image: Bespoke Hotels)

However both hotels are now set to reopen on May 17 with each site hiring around 40 people, with the aim to actively recruit people who previously lost their jobs at the sites.

The group will form under parent company and new owner, Bespoke Hotels.

Paul FitzGerald, Coast & County's portfolio managing director, said: “Given the enormous challenges of the last few months, we’re delighted to bring these properties back to market.

"Integral parts of Norfolk’s hotel offering, we know their initial closure was felt keenly amongst their respective communities.

"Now though, with reopening plans in place, we’re able to offer not just jobs and wider tourism opportunities, but hospitality services that people can engage with as restrictions lift.”

“With the country having been unable to enjoy the delights of hospitality for so long, everyone is eager to enjoy themselves post lockdown, and as people are starting to realise these properties are reopening, we’re already seeing keen interest to book – something that bodes really well for their future success.”

Thomas Greenall, managing director at Bespoke Hotels, said: “Coast & Country Hotel Collection is made up of some prominent local hotels in some wonderful and well-established leisure locations and we’re thrilled to be able to facilitate their reopening.

"We know the initial closures of many of these properties caused a real stir in their local communities last year, so we hope they’ll be keen to embrace their reopening and support the individual hotels in their endeavours.”