Inquest opens into Legionnaire’s disease death of Ludlow hotel guest
An inquest has opened into the death of a woman linked to Legionella bacteria found at Ludlow's Feathers Hotel.
Elaine Esther Brown died on August 26 last year after suffering a stroke as a result of contracting Legionnaire’s disease at the Feathers Hotel.
The inquest at Shirehall, Shrewsbury, heard Mrs Brown was a retired executive officer with the civil service from Liverpool.
Coroner’s officer Julie Hartridge said: “Mrs Brown died in August in Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
“It was registered as death by natural causes. However, it was linked to an outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease at the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow and is being investigated by Public Health England.
“The Shropshire coroner suspected it was not one of natural causes and requested to open an inquest.”
Senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, John Ellery, adjourned the hearing until August 14 for a pre-inquest review to take place.
The hotel was closed last September after Mrs Brown’s death and reopened in November after two months of remedial work.
But last week Shropshire Council and Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands said parts of the hotel had again been voluntarily closed as a precautionary measure.
Roger Bishop, the solicitor acting on behalf of the hotel said: “The hotel directors are fully co-operating with the local authority and Public Health England.
“They were shocked and dismayed that despite all the recommendations of the council and Public Health England having been carried out, the problem has now raised its head again. They will continue to give 100 per cent co-operation.”
