THE abrupt and unexpected closure of a well-known hotel on Dartmoor has left local couples’ wedding plans in tatters.

The sale of the Moorland Garden Hotel near Yelverton to an unknown buyer will also mean the loss of an estimated 60 jobs.

The popular wedding venue, with views of the moor, shut throughout the coronavirus pandemic with staff on furlough.

Now, though, hotel management has written to customers with wedding bookings to say the hotel will not be reopening at all.

They said that ‘it had become apparent’ that the buyer of the hotel, which has been on the market for some time, was not intending to continue running the building as a hotel. The 44-bed hotel dating from the 1930s had been on the market for £1,950,000. It is understood to have been sold for significantly less than that, however.

The hotel has been owned by Brian and Sonia Meaden, parents of Dragon’s Den TV star Deborah Meaden, since 2011.

They carried out an extensive refurbishment of the property, including opening a new restaurant. With gardens overlooking the moor, it has proved a popular place for local couples to get married.

The email to customers received in the last few days broke the news to customers with weddings booked that they needed to ‘make alternative arrangements’.

The management said that it was ‘not able’ to return deposit payments and said customers should seek refunds from their event insurer or credit card company.

‘As you might be aware, the company has been seeking to sell its business as a going concern with a view to business at The Moorland Garden Hotel continuing,’ said the statement emailed to customers.

‘However, it has become apparent that on completion of the sale of the hotel the buyer plans to convert the building for another use, so the company will cease to trade as a hotel and it will therefore not be in a position to fulfil your booking.

‘The building is being sold at a significant loss affected by recent events and is not able to return your deposit payment(s). The company is reviewing its creditor liabilities and next steps in that respect, therefore in first instance you will need to speak with your event insurer or credit card company about reclaiming any deposit paid.

‘We appreciate this is not the news you wanted to hear and how upsetting this may be, so this has been prioritised today so that you have the maximum time available to make alternative arrangements for your wedding.

‘We wish you every success with booking an alternative venue and for your event.’

It is understood that some couples are taking legal advice.