Shropshire Star

Annex plan for hotel near Market Drayton for pre-wedding brides and grooms

A country hotel and wedding venue near Market Drayton will build an annex this year enabling brides-to-be to stay away from the main hotel before the big day.

Published
The Goldstone Hall Hotel

The Goldstone Hall Hotel hopes to start work in May on a new building of four rooms, after a successful year with many people staying at the hotel and visiting the one-acre kitchen garden.

The rooms, away from the main hotel building, will be aimed at couples who plan to marry at the hotel and want to observe tradition by staying apart on the night before, as well as those simply on a romantic getaway to enjoy the kitchen garden and the surrounding countryside.

The hotel applied for planning permission back in early 2017 and it was granted the same year, but construction can begin this summer now that the hotel has satisfied planners regarding drainage and lighting at the new annex, which will be located in the northwest of the site.

A new sewage treatment plant will be built in the northeast corner of the hotel site.

Hotel owner John Cushing said: "It comprises a small group of bedrooms that have got a dual purpose.

"One is to provide more accommodation in the week for couples visiting our Royal Horticultural Society garden and the wonderful gardens that are around us, such as Wollerton Old Hall, the Dorothy Clive Garden and further afield, Trentham Gardens and David Austin Roses.

'Great'

"Also to provide brides and their entourage with secluded accommodation away from the hotel on the eve of the weddings.

"We're very much hoping to start [construction] in May.

"[The annex site] has got great views of the surrounding countryside looking towards Cheswardine and also the Wrekin.

"We are putting in the latest sewage system so that we're completely environmentally sustainable. We're not on the main sewage and we treat it to the highest standard."

Mr Cushing said that the hotel was on track for a record year in terms of people staying at the hotel.

"We are one of the largest kitchen gardens as a hotel and restaurant in the UK.

"This is very much touching a chord with our guests because they love their fresh produce straight from the garden."