THE closure of a youth hostel in Stow-on-the-Wold has been delayed until next year.
The Youth Hostel Association has announced that the 48-bed, Grade II listed 17th century townhouse in The Square, will remain open for another six months, until the end of next April. It was originally due to close at the end of September.
YHA spokesman Sam Littlechilds said: “The decision to close the hostel has not changed. It will remain open until it is sold.”
The hostel, which averages just under 50 per cent occupancy, has been making a small loss in recent years. Mr Littlechilds said it would cost around £500,000 “to bring it up to the standards that our customers and guests expect.”
The building has yet to be put on the market.
The nearest hostels to Stow run by the charity are at Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford. The YHA is hoping to open a hostel in Cirencester under a partnership project with New Brewery Arts.
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