Guys Thatched Hamlet advertising for staff a week after closing and making 94 workers redundant
Guys Thatched Hamlet are advertising for staff again - a week after 94 workers were made redundant following its sudden closure.
Plans to reopen Guys appear to be underway, with a recruitment drive seeking dozens of staff for the canal-side attraction off the A6 in Bilsborrow.
The Thatched Hamlet shut with immediate effect last Monday when its owners of 46 years, the Wilkinson family, entered the business into administration.
Guys had been on the market for 12 months as the owners sought a buyer to secure its future. Joint Administrators Lila Thomas and Jessica Leeming of Preston-based FRP said the decision to close was due to “financial pressures” brought on by “challenging trading conditions within the hospitality and leisure sector”.
It later emerged that Guy’s had agreed an ‘exclusivity arrangement’ with Lancashire-based Bowland Inns & Hotels Ltd, who were seeking to acquire the site.
The company operates a number of popular hotels, inns and venues across the region as part of its hospitality group, James’ Places. These include the award-winning Holmes Mill in Clitheroe, home to Bowland Brewery and the Bowland Beer Hall.
It’s not confirmed whether the sale of Guys has been completed, but it appears that James’ Places are preparing to reopen the Thatched Hamlet complex in the coming weeks, including the 65-room hotel and 'Owd Nell's Tavern.
What James’ Places say
A spokesperson for James’ Places said: “Bowland Inns & Hotels Limited, which operates under the James’ Places brand, has entered into an exclusivity agreement with a view to purchasing the assets of Guy’s Thatched Hamlet, subject to contract.
“The recruitment process reflects our intention to reopen the venue should the transaction complete.
“Any future roles would be new employment with James’ Places, and we would welcome applications from anyone interested in being part of the next chapter for the site.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further until the legal process has concluded.”
Hiring and reopening
Just a week after the doors closed, Guys is recruiting staff with a number of roles advertised on job search site, Indeed.
Ten positions are currently listed, including managers, chefs and bar staff. Other roles include head chef, head housekeeper and assistants, night porter, kitchen porter, duty manager and assistant general manager.
Wages range from £12.21 (National Living Wage) for bar staff, kitchen porters and housekeepers and up to £45,000 a year for the general manager and head chef at 'Owd Nell's Tavern.
The head housekeeper will be paid £14 an hour, while chefs of varying levels with be paid between £14 and £16.75 an hour.
It’s not clear whether any of its old workforce has been rehired after being made redundant last week.
When will it reopen?
Lila Thomas and Jessica Leeming of Preston-based FRP were appointed as Joint Administrators of Guy’s last Monday, which prompted its sudden and immediate closure.
They said they were confident that a sale would be completed in the ‘coming weeks’, subject to contract.
Guy’s had been owned by the Wilkinson family for 46 years and was placed on the market in February last year, but failed to secure a buyer.
The administrators said their ‘immediate focus’ was on supporting affected employees, suppliers and customers as part of the administration process.
This includes supporting the 94 staff who lost their jobs with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service, in addition to contacting customers with existing bookings to provide further information and guidance.
James Places’ was approached for comment.