A LANDMARK hotel known best for its weddings, family parties and business events is to close with the loss of 25 jobs.

Staff at the Macdonald-owned Egerton House have been given notice and told it will cease trading at the end of January.

Eight weddings were scheduled to take place at the hotel in Blackburn Road.

The couples have been informed of the planned closure with weddings being arranged elsewhere, according to a Macdonald spokesman.

The spokesman added: “We can confirm that Egerton House (Bolton) Ltd will cease trading early in 2014.

“The hotel now requires substantial capital investment and before embarking on this we wish to explore the possibility of alternative uses for the site, including residential.

“As a result, we have entered into a period of consultation with all staff.

“Unfortunately, this will result in the loss of up to 25 full and part-time jobs. As a priority we are also in contact with all customers who have outstanding reservations at the hotel.

"All eight couples who had weddings booked have already had alternative arrangements made for them. Obviously, any job losses are most regrettable.

“We also completely understand the inconvenience this will cause and we have made contact with all customers with outstanding reservations at Egerton House and we are doing everything possible to support them in finding alternative arrangements.”

Macdonald took over ownership of the 29-room hotel from owner Jan Hampton — who had acquired it in 2003 — in October 2010. Ms Hampton continued to run the hotel but left in November 2012.

Ms Hampton said: “I am extremely upset, after hearing about the pending closure.

“I put 10 years of my life into that hotel and it is such a shame. Although the hotel changed ownership in 2010 I still have shares in it and I am still a director.”

Egerton House is a 200-year-old Victorian building with period features and has an adjacent barn-type building used for functions, including business events.

Karen Tems, director of the Bolton and Bury Business Network, said: “We have used Egerton House for several events and the manager David McGhie and his staff always went out of their way to make sure they ran smoothly and efficiently. I am very sorry to hear this news.”

History of Egerton House

  • Egerton House Hotel dates from around 1860.
  • Before becoming a hotel the building was owned by a local businessman who had made his fortune in the mills.
  • Its grounds form part of Egerton Conservation Area.
  • In 1979 its owners extended the hotel’s restaurant.
  • A two-storey extension was built in 1982 adding 16 more rooms and a residential lounge to the hotel.
  • The success of the business led to further expansion in 1996 with a smart function suite for 70 people.