Hotel group attracts interest but remains in administration

A WEST Midland hotel group has attracted interest from buyers but remains unsold, administrators have confirmed.

David Bennett and Joe McLean, of Grant Thornton UK, were appointed joint administrators of Fortmere Group in June.

The duo said they had received a number of expressions but no agreement had been reached in the group’s three hotels which continue to trade as normal while offers were considered.

They are the Ramada Birmingham Hotel and Conference Centre in Oldbury, Ramada Park Hall Hotel and Spa in Wolverhampton and Ramada Warwick Hotel and Conference Centre in Kenilworth.

Mr Bennett said: “We have just begun the busy autumn season and all three hotels are taking bookings for the forthcoming Christmas period.”

The hotel group, which employs 145 people, has blamed the steep decline in the property sector for its predicament but administrators said there were no immediate plans for redundancies.

The showpiece Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton is one of the best known venues in the region and the Georgian mansion was the original home of the Earl of Dudley.

It was taken over by Fortmere in 2004 when it was refurbished into a modern hotel, spa and conference centre.

In contrast, the 81-bedroom Oldbury venue was completed just three years ago, while the Warwick hotel was acquired by Fortmere in 2007 and underwent a £3m refurbishment.

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