Latest news with #AngelHotel
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fundraiser launched for Lavenham hotel staff owed £23k in wages
A hospitality manager has launched a fundraiser for his colleagues after they lost out on thousands of pounds in wages following the closure of a historic Angel Hotel, in Lavenham, Suffolk, which is more than 600-years old, ceased trading on 12 February due to financial Guy, the venue's head chef and manager, told the BBC that 24 staff members - including himself - are owed over £23,000 worth of owner John Raines, who took over in 2017, has not been available for comment. "I don't think they have racked up these bills to have a load of people over - they have lost absolutely everything and it's not a smash and grab," he said."It's not like they've got a house in the Bahamas or Lamborghinis, and you can't say they are bad people - we're all human beings at the end of the day.' 'There's no money trees' Mr Guy, 43, said he and his colleagues are owed £6,330.70 for the work they did between December and January, including on Christmas Day, and a further £17,131.48 for the shifts they put in from January 21st to February 12th, when the hotel 'abruptly' has now launched a fundraiser on behalf of his colleagues in a bid to generate enough money to cover what they are all owed, but it has so far only received £1, said some staff wanted the owners to use their own money to resolve the unpaid wages, but hoped people could still show compassion towards them. "There are no money trees around, it's a myth," added Mr Guy, who believes the Angel Hotel will open again in the future and become a "raving success"."I don't expect everyone to foot the bill but all these fundraising pages should be somebody else's problem, but they're not, and that's why they are there."He said energy provider EDF was also owed £78,000, leading to the power being shut off at the venue. 'Staff are stuck' A former bar manager, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC they were present on the day the venue shut. They claimed there were given a 10-minute warning before EDF shut off the power."There's been massive resentment toward the owners for a while, but has been only amplified by the situation of closure," they added."But the decision to leave is not a light one, and staff are stuck in this financial cycle." The timber-framed Angel Hotel, which is a Grade II-listed building and boasts medieval vaulted cellars, was opened in according to Campaign For Real Ale (Camra), the building itself could date back to at least two centuries 15th Century hotel was under the same family ownership from 1990 until 2011, before being taken over by celebrity chef, Marco Pierre time at the helm proved controversial, however, not least with locals, who felt its pale pink makeover "lowered the tone".Following intervention by Babergh District Council, it was replaced with a more traditional, darker, Suffolk owner John Raines, who took over in 2017, has not been available for comment. EDF has been contacted for comment. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Hospice to open second Wiltshire bereavement cafe
A second bereavement cafe is set to open in Wiltshire due to high Hospice, based in Swindon, is set to launch the new cafe in Royal Wootton Bassett on 6 hospice opened its first cafe in Marlborough in 2023 after families of patients said they needed a drop-in service to talk about losing loved Gullis, clinical lead for therapy services at Prospect Hospice, said the town was a "natural choice". Ms Gullis said the cafe would be open to anyone."Through the care we offer in our community, and various conversations we were having with patients and their families, we realised there was a real need for a community-based drop-in service open to those dealing with grief," she cafe will be in the Angel Hotel and will be open from 10:30 GMT.
