Boss of luxury hotel calls for Tier 3 rules protest

THE boss of a luxury Derbyshire hotel has spoken out about Tier 3 restrictions and has called for the hospitality industry to take a stand against the Government.

Paul Wildes, CEO of Wildes Group which owns the Van Dyk hotel, near Chesterfield, has labelled the decision as “ludicrous”.

He says Tier 3 is crippling restaurants and hotels as all accommodation services including hotels must remain closed.

In a letter to Bolsover MP Mark Fletcher, Mr Wildes argued that the move would have a catastrophic impact on the hospitality industry in Derbyshire.

He said: “Since March, I’ve supported most of the decisions made by the Government, especially early in the pandemic when not much was known about the virus.

“However, the latest decisions are nothing short of ludicrous. They will spell the end of the hospitality sector as we have known it because many restaurants and pubs will never open again.”

Mr Wildes’ comments come after a successful reopening of the Wildes Group’s hotels and restaurants after the first lockdown. Around 32,000 customers used the chain’s facilities across without a single case of Covid being reported, he claimed.

And he also called on other businesses in the industry to join him in protesting against the latest government regulations. He said: “Hospitality needs to defend itself against the attack it is under from the government.

“Many businesses, including mine, have invested thousands in making our environment safe. If it could be proven to me or anyone else in hospitality that we are a major contributor to the spread, I would happily support the closures.”

Mr Wildes called for greater support to go to hospitality firms most affected by the decision.