Mystery surrounds future of landmark Best Western Rockingham Forest Hotel in Corby

Uncertainty surrounds the future of the Best Western Rockingham Forest in Corby after the hotel told customers that it was shutting its doors next month.

Group bookings have been cancelled and no new room bookings are being accepted at any time after September 17.

The landmark hotel in Rockingham Road has been a well-used wedding venue for many years and is also a popular conference location because of its large function rooms and reasonable rates. It has traditionally hosted the Strictly Corby event.

Groups and individuals who have had their bookings cancelled have contacted the Northants Telegraph with concerns over the future of the building, with one saying they had been told that the hotel was closing with ‘no plans to reopen as a hotel’.

It is not yet known what the site could be used for. When contacted, the hotel’s duty manager would not comment and said there was nobody else available to answer questions.

One dance group that has had its booking for next year cancelled said on their social media page that they have been told the building has been sold, is under new ownership and will cease trading in September.

They had already taken bookings for their event and were said to be ‘devastated’.

In August 2006 the hotel suffered a catastrophic fire and had to be rebuilt.

The former Hotel Elizabeth was bought by Ashley Hotels for £1.9m in 2016 and soon began operating under the Best Western banner. But all trace of the business has now been removed from the Ashley Hotels website. Accounts filed with Companies House show that, in the year to December 2020, the hotel made a loss of £233,931 with outstanding debts of £2.758m. The accounts state that business was affected by the coronavirus pandemic and that the company was able to take advantage of the government’s furlough and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan.

Ashley Hotels have been contacted for comment.