Shrubbery Hotel goes into administration, but it's business as usual! (From This is The West Country)

Shrubbery Hotel goes into administration, but it's business as usual!

3:38pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in News

THE Shrubbery Hotel – an Ilminster landmark – has been placed in administration.

Stuart and Liz Shepherd, who have run the hotel for over 50 years, announced the decision at the end of last week, but vowed that the hotel would continue to run as normal.

Mr Shepherd said: “It has been a very difficult decision to make, but we felt we had no alternative.

“We have filed a notice of intention of going into administration, and this has been caused by a problem over land registration for development in the grounds of the Shrubbery, combined with the deep recession, but we’d like out clients and customers to know the Shrubbery, despite going into administration, will continue to run as normal with the same management and staff.’’

Last year, the couple, who are both in their 70s, put the hotel on the market with a price tag of £1.5million, but to date they have failed to find a buyer.

The Shepherds married in 1963 and took up positions as managers of the Shrubbery before buying its freehold in 1966.

Since then they have developed the hotel into one of the leading venues in the county.

It has developed a fine reputation in the community and hosts many of Ilminster’s major events each year, but not even that reputation has fought off the damaging effects of the recession.