Hotel made to stay open (From Stroud News and Journal)

Hotel made to stay open

THE OWNER of a struggling hotel is furious after Stroud District Council told him his business will have to stay open.

Lucieno Magalotti's application to turn the Bell Hotel in Wallbridge into six flats was been turned down by the authority.

Councillors insisted the hotel - one of just three in the town centre - was a crucial facility for the town, and that Mr Magalotti would be "sitting on a gold mine" once the canal restoration is complete.

But this could take many years, and Mr Magalotti fears he will not be able to maintain the business until then.

"I am very annoyed," he said. "I bought this place in 1976 thinking it was a good site. But business has been appalling.

"We are just scraping through. I have had to get rid of a lot of staff. For the amount of time I am working here I don't get anywhere near enough money.

"There's a building site outside and the canal is still derelict after 17 years. People don't want to come and look out the window at that.

"I tried to sell it and I have tried everything in the book to boost business."

Nigel Messenger, chairman of the Stroud and District Chamber of Trade, said he supported Mr Magalotti's plans to appeal against the decision.

Mr Messenger said: "The idea that you can force any business to stay open when it has been losing money for the last four years is bizarre."

Cllr John Marjoram, of Stroud District Council's development control committee, said: "It should be retained as a hotel because in a few years this will be seen as a goldmine. As the canal becomes more of an attraction, a hotel will be needed."