ANOTHER Minehead hotel has been lost to the town after it was sold at auction for £845,000 on the retirement of Deborah and Andrew Ross.

They had run the Channel House Hotel, on North Hill, for 16 years.

Now, new owner James Hewetson, from Bridport, Dorset, has plans to convert it to a house after 50 years of trading as a hotel.

In recent years Minehead’s hotel and accommodation economy has also lost for various reasons The Promenade, The Benares, Whites Hotel, Wyndcott Hotel, Gascony Hotel, Marsden Lodge, and the Kenella Hotel.

Mr Hewetson was granted planning permission in July of this year for the conversion to residential of the Channel House, which has eight en-suite bedrooms and a bar and restaurant with 16 covers.

At the time, he said Mr and Mrs Ross had unsuccessfully marketed the property for five years but ‘nobody who viewed wanted to buy the place as a hotel’.

Prospective owners either wanted it as a house or for part-residential and part-letting.

“The market for this kind of bed and breakfast type hotel has been decreasing and hotels in Minehead have been closing down at a fast rate for nearly 20 years,” he said.

Carter Jonas Leisure head Stephen Richards said: “The property attracted strong interest due to its position on North Hill overlooking the sea and at the start of the South West Coast Path.

“Potential purchasers ranged from couples looking to run a small hotel, a large holiday let, or to convert the hotel back into a residential dwelling.

“The property was eventually sold to a purchaser who is going to convert the hotel into a large holiday let and they had to go through the planning process before the sale was agreed.”

Minehead town and district councillor Terry Venner said: “It is a great loss to the local economy and employment within Minehead. Any loss of holiday accommodation is very regrettable.”