New owners take over at Kenilworth hotel and say ‘it will not be demolished’
The new owners of a Kenilworth hotel say it "will not close" and have big plans to take the business forward.
The future of the Peacock Hotel and Raffles restaurant has remained in doubt over the past 18 months after a number of planning applications to demolish the building and turn it into houses have been put forward.
And while plans to flatten the building were signed off last year, the Warwick Road business has now been taken over by business partners Subbu Meyyappan and Peri Murugaraman who say they are firmly committed to keeping it open.
"As the new management, we are spending money to renovate the hotel," Subbu told Nub News.
"We are going to run this hotel to its full potential and we will not be closed.
"Some people think we are closing, but we definitely are not.
"We wanted to improve on what is already here, and offer the best level of service."
The duo have already started work renovating some of the 37 ensuite rooms, putting in new décor in the bar, and have also introduced a new afternoon tea offer at Raffles restaurant, inside the hotel.
The afternoon tea has a Malaysian twist and is available for £19.95 per person.
They also told Nub News there are plans to turn the current lounge into a bar and grill in the first half of 2024.
"We want to expand Raffles too, and let as many people as possible try the food," Peri added.
"It is not a typical Indian restaurant, it is Malaysian food and is something different to the other restaurants in the town and local area.
"We also use local suppliers wherever possible, we want to support the local economy as much as we can.
"And then later this year we are going to open the new bar and grill, so there is lots going on."
The neighbouring house - 151 Warwick Road - has also been part of the previous planning applications, and is also on the market currently with Shortland Horne. However, the building is not under the purview of the new owners.
For Subbu and Peri - who worked at the Peacock Hotel under the previous ownership before taking over - they are focused on taking the business forward
"We have lived locally for a long time," Peri said.
"We have been thinking about running our own place for a while, but then when the previous owners were going to demolish the Peacock we decided to take it over and keep it open.
"You can build houses elsewhere, but we did not want the town to lose this hotel - there are not many places to stay in Kenilworth because so many guest houses have closed recently."
The duo - who also looked at buying the Woodside Hotel before taking over at the Peacock - have also decided not to change its name, as they want to rebuild the business.
They also have a mix of skills, with Peri having run hotels across the country for 20 years, and Subbu bringing his experience in finance to the business.
And now, they want local people to come and see how things are changing at the Peacock.
"We are continuing to keep open the hotel and restaurant, offering takeaways, parties and a place for meetings for the Kenilworth community," they added.
"We are looking to welcoming the locals to our new venture to support and grow our business within the community."
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