Wedding and entertainment venue near Harborough has been forced to go into administration – putting the jobs of 30 staff at risk

A landmark wedding and entertainment venue near Market Harborough has been forced to go into administration – putting the jobs of 30 staff at risk.

The future of 220-year-old Hothorpe Hall at Theddingworth has been plunged into serious doubt after it’s been hit hard by the 10-month Covid-19 pandemic.

The administrators are now battling to find new investors to plough much-needed cash into the crisis-hit business based at the magnificent Georgian manor hall on the edge of Theddingworth.

The 55-bedroom centre is currently shut amid the coronavirus lockdown and all 30 employees have been furloughed for some time.

But a handful of staff are set to be drafted in to support the administrators as they launch an urgent rescue operation.

Yasmin Bhikha and John Lowe from specialist business advisory firm FRP were appointed as Joint Administrators to Hothorpe Hall on December 14.

The Joint Administrators are trying to reassure customers as they fight to honour existing wedding and events bookings, where permitted by Government restrictions, at Hothorpe Hall.

The Joint Administrators were appointed after the business “suffered sustained cashflow difficulties since the start of the pandemic”.

Yasmin Bhikha, Director at FRP and Joint Administrator, said: “Like much of the rest of the UK hospitality and leisure sector, Hothorpe Hall has seen their ability to operate severely restricted by the pandemic, which has led to financial difficulties and need for restructuring.

“The administration provides some protection as we explore options to secure a future for the hotel group.

“We have launched a marketing process to find investors and are having conversations with interested parties.”

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