Golf club to close down hotel in order to secure future

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir September 28, 2020 06:55

In a sign of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the industry, a golf club in Lancashire is set to close down its hotel in order to continue as a viable business.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a surge in demand to play golf, but clubs’ additional revenue streams have been badly hit, particularly hotels.

The nine-hole Oak Royal Golf and Country Club Hotel’s owner Charles Downes has reportedly said that he can no longer run the business as a hotel.

Closing it down has become ‘imperative’ to ensure the golf club continues, he added. The hotel only opened in 2015.

Oak Royal. Image from Facebook

It is now set to be converted into housing and a planning application, which includes the construction of a new clubhouse, for nine residential units has been sent to Chorley Council.

A planning statement to the council says: “The unprecedented impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality business basically has wiped out the potential for the hotel to operate as a traditional hotel, with current requirements for social distancing resulting in a massive reduction in the manner in which the business can operate, yet alone make a profit.

“The uncertainty of how the future will be impacted upon by the pandemic is unknown and as clearly demonstrated, there have been and will continue to be, serious job losses everywhere but potentially none more so than in the hospitality section.

“Regretfully, the applicant has decided that there is no alternative but to cease trading and seek a suitable alternative use and it is considered that the property readily lends itself to providing high quality residential accommodation.”

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir September 28, 2020 06:55
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