Staff hit out after hotel closes with no warning
Fears over weddings at Borders venue after owner goes bust
Awell-known hotel and wedding venue has suddenly shut the doors, leaving 30 staff jobless six days before Christmas.
The closure of Moffat House hotel, part of the Best Western chain, has also wrecked plans for 50 guests booked to have their Christmas lunch there.
T h e m a n a g e r, who is among those out of a job, said suppliers had been turning up demanding payment for bills which were months late.
Ailsa Ba r r added the closure had also sparked uncertainty for weddings booked for the summer.
The Borders hotel closed its doors and slid into administration on Thursday after owner George Lawson went bust.
Manager Ailsa said: “I was at home on Thursday when the duty manager phoned and said four people had turned up to shut down the hotel. I was aware of financial problems but I had no idea we would close. We were full for Christmas lunch, with 53 people booked in, although I decided not to take any deposits so people have not lost money.
“We had a big birthday party booked for January and four wedding meals and a wedding itself from June to September. They might be able to go ahead but it’s uncertain so that’s not ideal for people. As far as I know, a buyer is being sought and it’s hoped it might reopen by March.
“I was getting chased for more and more bills. Suppliers were turning up at the hotel refusing to leave until they received payment.
“Un f o r t u n a t e l y, I had no control over the financial situation.
“I loved the job and the team was brilliant. It’s a big part of the community. Matters just went outwith my control.”
She said owner Lawson had been “promising he would pay” bills up to the point of closure and added a potential buyer had been interested but the sale had fallen through.
Best Western Hotels are part of a chain but each property is individually owned. A total of 28 staff, about 20 of them full-time, lost their jobs with the closure. The Grade A- listed Georgian mansion house, which dates back to 1761, was turned into a hotel in 1950. It has 21 bedrooms and public rooms including a banqueting and function suite and a two- bedroom cottage available for guests to rent.
Business restructuring firm FRP said the hotel had closed “with immediate effect following the insolvency of the hotel’s owner and proprietor”.
FRP’S Tom Maclennan, who will oversee the sale of Moffat House, said: “We are continuing to liaise with the Redundancy Payments Ser vice to minimise the impact on the staff. The property and assets will be marketed for sale in early 2020.”
Mr Lawson said yesterday he was “devastated by the closure particularly for all the staff involved” but did not wish to comment further.