"Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

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"Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Fri Aug 20, 2021 5:33 pm

It is understood the hotel will close on December 17

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A popular hotel in Coventry is reported to be closing.

The Iliffe, formerly known as Corus The Chace Hotel, has operated as a Laura Ashley branded hotel since 2019.

The Iliffe is part of the Corus Hotels group, but has a Laura Ashley tea room, which is run by Laura Ashley Hospitality.

News of the reported closure has been widely reported on social media this month.

The Willenhall based hotel, based on London Road, is the second Laura Ashley branded hotel in the country and had a thorough refurbishment in 2019.

It is understood by CoventryLive that the hotel will shut on December 17 and that people who have booked events from that date have, or will be contacted by hotel management.

Rumours of the hotel closure first surfaced on a local Facebook page earlier this month.

An email from hotel management to a customer who had booked their wedding at the Iliffe Hotel for summer 2022, which CoventryLive has seen, said: "You may or may not have seen some reports on social media regarding the hotel and the future of the business.

"Unfortunately I can confirm that the hotel will close permanently on the 17th of December 2021."

When CoventryLive tried to book a room at the hotel online on various booking platforms for December, it was not possible, and a message appeared to say 'Contact this property for rates and availability'.

When we tried to book directly on the Corus website for the Iliffe, all dates are blocked out from December 17, also meaning it is not possible to book a room past its reported closure.

The following months going in to 2022 are also blocked out.

CoventryLive contacted Corus Hotels and Laura Ashley Hospitality on numerous occasions, through various means, over the past week to confirm the reported closure, and ask if hotel staff members will retain their jobs.

Corus Hotel group said they will not comment and referred us to Laura Ashley Hospitality.

Laura Ashley Hospitality said they will not comment and referred us to Corus Hotel group.

At the time of writing, both groups, who are involved with the running of the hotel, have declined to comment.

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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby rebbonk » Sat Aug 21, 2021 2:14 am

Hardly surprising, is it?

Corus Group

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Green - Net worth
Yellow - Total liabilities
Red - Total assets

They'll be shedding units that aren't profitable and those that will bring in a quick injection of cash.
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Sun Sep 12, 2021 4:44 pm

The history of Coventry's Chace Hotel from family home to huge parties

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Coventry's Chace Hotel hosted some legendary parties in its heyday.

Built in 1897, parts of the Willenhall-based building are Edwardian and listed.

The house was built with mock timber framing and converted into a hotel in 1930.

As we reported in our Coventry newsletter, the hotel is due to close in December 2021.

It was a Laura Ashley Hotel, but plans have been submitted to Coventry City Council to convert it into a 58-bed care home.

But the hotel hasn't just been a place for events, it has been a centre of real historical significance in Coventry, particularly Willenhall.

Before it became the Chace Hotel, it was the private residence of a well respected Coventry figure, Dr Charles Webb Iliffe

It was built between 1897 and 1903 for Dr Iliffe, who was the city coroner, poor law director and also MP.

Charles is from the same Iliffe family that established the Midland Daily Telegraph, which went on to become the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

In 1930 the building was converted to a hotel and later extended.

The Chace Hotel formed one of three key buildings in Willenhall, back when it was an historic village.

According to local history group the Coventry Society, there was the manor house of the Willenhall family which stood on what we now know as Remembrance Road.

There was Willenhall House, built in 1831 near Willenhall Lane.

And there was the The Chace, known as the Chase, built in 1897 by Dr Charles Webb Iliffe.

He was a well-known figure in the local community and moved into the grand house in around 1901 with his wife and young debutante, Mary Ann Soden.

It was a house with sweeping staircases and real decadence, and it is said that Mary bitterly regretted the family moving out of the house once it became too large to manage.

In 1930, the house was converted to a hotel, and became a firm favourite with locals, hosting huge parties and events.

Its magnificent staircase has become the feature of many newlyweds' wedding photographs.

The hotel was a place of employment for a lot of local people, and many Coventrians celebrated anniversaries, weddings and parties there.

In 2019, the hotel was re branded as The Iliffe Laura Ashley Hotel, and was described as "Coventry's hidden gem hotel that will make you forget you're in the city".

It was completely refurbished and became a popular spot for afternoon tea in Coventry.

But sadly the heyday of the Chace Hotel is no more, because in August 2021, as we reported, it was announced that the hotel is due to close in December.

Plans have now been submitted by applicant Fairhome Group PLC to turn the hotel into a care home.

The application seeks consent to convert the property from the existing Laura Ashley hotel (The Iliffe), which consists of 17 boutique rooms within the older buildings and 50 low budget rooms within the 1970s extension to create a care home, including nursing care, comprising 58 beds, split within ‘zones’ within the building.

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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:40 pm

Plans to turn Coventry hotel into mental health care home spark concern

Residents have raised concerns regarding plans to potentially turn the closing Chase Hotel on London Road into a mental health care home once it shuts later in the year.

The Hotel, officially currently known as The Iliffe, has been a Laura Ashley chain for the past few years but will cease trading in December.

Plans are already afoot to turn the building into a care home for people with mental health issues.

A meeting was held last week between residents, councillors, mental health providers and care home planners.

It seems the main concern from residents relates to the similarly named Chase Hostel, which provided a service to homeless people before it closed some years ago.

The hostel became notorious among people living in the area after issues arose from residents staying there. It became a cautionary warning for parents in Willenhall when their children were out of the house alone.

Resident Clel Sneddon told CoventryLive: "I know there are concerns from people in the area about what it will be turned into. It's a beautiful old building and if it gets ruined it will be a shame.

"I think whoever has bought it needs to be honest about the long term plans for the building."

Regarding the hostel, which was situated on nearby Chase Avenue, Clel said: "I think it housed people with mental health problems, drink and drugs issues and things like that.

"As kids you used to get told to cross over the road if you were going past someone from the hostel, and I told my kids the same.

"Years before it was used during and after the war for people in need, but then later it seemed to get changed to being for people with mental health issues.

"It's all demolished now obviously and I think residents were moved to a similar place in Hillfields, with the idea it was more central and closer to facilities they'd need to access."

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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:33 pm

Plans approved to transform empty Iliffe Hotel in Willenhall

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Plan to turn the Iliffe Hotel in Willenhall into a 58-bed mental health care home have been approved. Residents will range from the homeless to people with mental health illnesses and those suffering from drug dependencies.

All residents will receive close care and nursing support as well as personal care from local agency, Rethink Mental Illness. Plans show that different parts of the care home will cater to the specialised needs of residents.

40 full-time positions will be made available when the care home opens as some areas will be fully staffed 24 hours each day.

Previously, the site operated as the Laura Ashley branded Iliffe Hotel before its sudden closure in December 2021. Now, the newly-refurbished care home will house a six-bed crisis service with staffing 24 hours per day, a short stay service offering 17 beds and a 17-bed nursing service.

Construction will also see an 18-bed supported living service built inside the former hotel. Here residents will be supported to become more independent and acquire the skills to assist them to move into their own properties.

Neighbours have raised concerns about their safety and the level of crime in the neighbourhood. Nearby residents have been told that the development will 'not result in increased crime' as the site is to be managed and staffed, Coventry City Council's planning officers say.

Officials added that the development will have an 'acceptable' impact on the street scene and 'no detrimental impact' on neighbouring properties. CCTV will also be in operation within the building and outside to help curb any antisocial behaviour and criminal activity.

Speaking on behalf of residents, Cllr Roger Bailey said: “We accept the fact that it is an empty building, it is no longer a hotel, so the last thing anyone wants to see is an empty building for a lot of reasons, but there are some concerns. It would be great if we could do as much as possible to keep the integrity of the main building because it has become part of the local scene and it has got a lot of merits as far as many people are concerned.

“Residents have also raised concerns about security, the fencing has been totally inadequate and many are asking if they can have very secure fencing around the perimeter of this development.”

Cllr Naeem Akhtar said he "cannot see any better use" for the derelict hotel on London Road. He said: “Chase Hotel was a very popular venue in the city and it served the people of the city for many years so it is sad to see it go. I cannot see any better use of this site than for a mental health illness centre, the other use could have been a homeless hostel which could have created more problems, so that is the ideal place to be honest.”

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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:02 pm

Closed Coventry hotel building given Grade II listed status

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The former home of an ex-coroner that was later converted into a hotel has been given Grade II listed status.

Dr Charles Webb Iliffe, who died in 1921 aged 77, was a prominent figure in Coventry and the city's poor law director, Historic England (HE) said.

The building on London Road changed ownership in 1930 and became The Chace Hotel.

The hotel closed in 2021, with its future use not yet known, HE said.

On its advice, HE added, the Coventry landmark, which was built in 1897, had been afforded Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Chace's "striking frontage, with mock-Tudor timber framing and stone detailing to its brick facades, combined with its sumptuous interior and sweeping staircase, made it a sought-after location for events", HE stated.

The building was extended, but the listing only covers the original structure.

The year before Dr Iliffe's death, he was appointed as a justice of the peace.

HE listing advisor Emily Sheen-Hutton said: "When it was built, The Chace was a statement of power and wealth at the height of... [Dr Iliffe's] influence in the city."

:bbc_news:
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Re: "Popular Coventry hotel reported to be permanently closing"

Postby dutchman » Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:09 pm

The hotel closed in 2021, with its future use not yet known, HE said.


So what happened to the "mental health centre" proposal? :roll:
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