in brief

Planners blamed

Bilbrough Manor Country House Hotel, near York, which closed in November, is reverting to a private home following its purchase by a Yorkshire businessman.

Former owner Colin Bell blamed planners for the failure of the business, after a five-year struggle to gain planning permission to extend the hotel (News, 13 April 1995).

Receivers were called in after Mr Bell failed repeatedly to secure permission from Selby District Council for a15-bedroom extension without which, he claimed, the hotel was unviable.

Aramark in jail

Aramark has beaten off competition from four other caterers to scoop a contract to feed more than 600 staff at HM Prison Leeds.

The deal, worth £110,000 a year in turnover, is for three years. Previously, the catering was carried out in-house.

Taylorplan, Sutcliffe and Pall Mall Services are believed to have been among the other bidders for the work.

Belfast hotel bid

A Belfast property company, Winfield Investment, has applied for outline planning permission for a 200-bedroom hotel at Great Victoria Street in Belfast.

It is understood the property would be developed as a four-star hotel costing about £14m to build.

royal facelift

Nottingham's Royal Moat House has opened new meetings and conference facilities as part of a £1.5m refurbishment. Some 164 of the 201 bedrooms at the hotel have also been upgraded.