A troubled Poole hotel is being transformed into a pub with 20 rooms by a Poole licensee who believes he can buck the recession’s gloom.

The Orton Rigg Hotel in Canford Cliffs, formally a specialist hotel for people with arthritis, closed after 40 years last month following a slump in bookings.

It had struggled for some time, having been sold off by previous owner Arthritis Care to hotelier Philip Oram in September 2007 for financial reasons.

But despite this it has been snapped up by Chris Hollingworth, who also runs the Inn in the Park in Branksome Park. He says he is confident he can turn it into a thriving establishment.

He told the Daily Echo: “The trouble is in good times you can never find the sites you want. It’s only in times like this you’re able to find ideal sites. I have been a licensee in Poole for 25 years and looking for freehold sites like this all that time – I’ve finally found one.”

He added: “I always believe if you offer quality and service you can beat anything – even a recession. I’ve gone through a couple in my lifetime.”

Work is due to start on the hotel in the next week, and could finish as soon as April. Mr Hollingworth says it will be a “traditional pub and restaurant” which will employ around 26 people.

His applications for 24-hour alcohol and entertainment licences were granted by Poole council licensing sub committee last week. He told the Echo the establishment would not remain open 24 hours a day and the licences were only intended to provide for flexibility for functions such as weddings.