Monkey Island Hotel quiet on closure rumours after wedding cancellation and booking issues

A to-be-wed couple had to scramble around to find a venue for their New Year's Eve wedding after Monkey Island Hotel cancelled their booking at short notice ahead of a rumoured closure.

Carly Nicholson was due to marry fiancé Paul Foad at the hotel in Monkey Island Lane on Thursday, December 31.

But she says the hotel told her on Wednesday they have had to cancel the wedding, saying they have to do work to the hotel’s roof.

She believes the hotel is due to close in December, and possibly for a year, with staff made redundant.

The midwife, who lives in Thatcham,  was pointed to an alternative venue in Ascot, but it was unable to accommodate her requests.

On Monday, the hotel told the couple they could run the wedding, with agency staff, but 31-year-old Carly and 34-year-old Paul had already cancelled arrangements with third party vendors, and are reluctant to give Monkey Island Hotel any more money.

Carly said: “They’ve clearly realised that the compensation that couples have requested is going to cost them a lot more than putting a botched job of a wedding on.

“Obviously we’ve told them no because I’ve now cancelled things with vendors and the fact that they [the hotel] have done this means they will not get a penny of our money.”

The couple has found another venue which can cater for them, but it is more expensive, and they want Monkey Island Hotel to pay the difference.

Carly said a solicitor has contacted the hotel to ask for a mediation session to see if costs, such as fireworks and invitations, and the cost difference for a new venue can be recovered.

The hotel has yet to respond to three requests to confirm or deny if it is going to close down. Customers logging onto its website are unable to book any rooms for 2016, with the site saying all our sold out. The hotel has applied for planning permission to knock down its staff accommodation and build four private homes on the site.

That application was recommended for approval by Bray Parish Council last night, on the condition that the new homes are to be used for staff accommodation.

On Twitter, representatives from the 10-12 Business Club and Maidenhead Ladies’ Circle said they have had bookings cancelled.