Hinton Firs Hotel in Bournemouth disputes closure order

Owners of the Hinton Firs Hotel in Manor Road argue the closure order should have never been granted.

BCP Council sought a closure order for the hotel last autumn after finding it had “failed to comply with several enforcement notices”.

One of these notices related to the risk of legionnaires disease to guests and staff from the hotels water supply.

The local authority did not reveal what other enforcement notices were ignored.

A three-month long order was granted by Poole Magistrates' Court on Thursday, November 2.

The order has since expired and an extension was not sought by BCP Council, although the hotel remains closed.

However, Hinton Firs is requesting a “complete re-hearing” after saying it was “wrong” of the court to grant the order in the first place.

Hinton Firs Hotel (Image: NQ)

Speaking at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, March 4, a representative of the hotel said: “The consequences of the closure order thereafter were absolutely horrific.

“It has had a massive impact.

“The building now has the history of a closure order on it, and it has had an impact for the future, both in terms of the potential guests that would come in.

“We want to show the judge was wrong for granting that order.”

The representative asked for all evidence to be re-presented to allow the “reputational damage to be corrected”.

They added the order had also prevented works from being carried out at the hotel because no-one was allowed to enter over the three-month period.

Anyone that entered the property, other than contractors doing work to comply with the enforcement notices, officers from the council, police, and other emergency services or utility providers, were warned of fines or imprisonment.

However, it was confirmed that financial remedies were not being sought.

Judge Susan Evans KC adjourned the hearing to Thursday, March 28, at the same court, to allow for this to take place.