Landmark hotel to shut in August

It has been the venue for a host of weddings, charity dinners and school proms, but now one of Lancashire's famous landmark hotels is to close.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Jul 2016, 11:52 BST
Updated 28th Jul 2016, 08:14 BST
The Pines HotelThe Pines Hotel
The Pines Hotel

The 35-bedroomed Pines Hotel was bought by Heapey-based Primrose Developments last summer and put up for sale. It had previously been owned and run by the Duffin family since 1963 and the business was still being run by Betty Duffin.

She said: “I’ve run a letter on the front of the menu saying I’m closing. I’m just thanking people. It was just an article I had written. We’re closing on August 10.”

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In February, Simon James, head of development at Primrose Holdings, revealed the hotel, which is on the A6 Preston Road at Clayton-le-Woods, had attracted interest from potential suitors – including discount retail stores.

The upmarket Victorian hotel, popular down the decades for functions, such as weddings, conferences and cabaret, has been at the centre of rumours over its future for several years.

Mrs Duffin said: “It was going to be a supermarket and has fallen through.”

She said she did not know if plans for the hotel, which will close in August, included its demolition. Over the years the original Victorian house and the Dixon Suite have been extended and upgraded. The last alteration was in April 2005, when the Dixon Suite was rebuilt. It now has seating of 300 for a cabaret show.

The hotel is advertising its final cabaret night on Saturday July 30 on its website.

No-one from Primrose Holdings was available for comment.

Related topics:LancashireVictorian