Penally Abbey unlikely to open this summer after fire causes significant damage

09 June 2020 by
Penally Abbey unlikely to open this summer after fire causes significant damage

A fire has caused "a significant amount of damage" to Penally Abbey hotel in Pembrokeshire, leaving its owners with little hope of reopening this summer.

Flames damaged the historic building on the morning of Saturday 30 May. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one wing of the property and nobody was hurt.

Owners Lucas and Melanie Boissevain acquired the property in 2014 and had extensively refurbished it.

In a statement published to the hotel's website they said: "The firefighters acted with total professionalism, utter bravery, kindness and empathy both to us and to this beautiful and historic building. We owe them our heartfelt gratitude.

"As a result of this, we are so sad that the hotel is now unlikely to be able to open at all this summer. It has been such a privilege to spend the last five years restoring the abbey to its current beautiful state. Penally Abbey is a Grade II-listed Strawberry Hill gothic house and will need the utmost care and precision in the months to come in order to restore it to the level that it deserves.

"In the coming days and weeks, we shall find a way forward both together as a family and with our team and know that the hotel will return more beautiful and stronger than before. Of that you can be sure."

The hotel had closed at the end of March, in response to government directives to stem the spread of Covid-19. The owners have said that all guests with bookings will be contacted.

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media Group is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking