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Pub giant confirms Whitby nightspot talks
NEGOTIATIONS have begun with national pub chain JD Wetherspoon to take over one of Whitby's biggest nightspots.
A major player in the food and drink industry, Wetherspoon has confirmed it is in the early stages of talks to buy The New Angel Hotel and Laughton's, which went on the market in May last year with a 1m price tag, after its owners, Absolute Leisure, went into administration.
In March, the Whitby Gazette revealed the venue – known locally as The Big A in New Quay Road and Laughton's nightclub with an entrance in Baxtergate – had been identified as Wetherspoons' preferred site for a move into the town.
But the company, which owns 781 pubs nationwide, would not comment on individual sites to the Whitby Gazette until now.
A spokeswoman for Wetherspoon told the Whitby Gazette: "We want to be in Whitby, The New Angel Hotel is a place that we are looking at.
"We are interested in acquiring it, and we are in early negotiations."
Andrew Haslam of Begbies Traynor, Joint Administrator of Absolute Leisure said: "The New Angel Hotel is for sale and I currently am negotiating with one party.
"There have been a number of interested parties but we are trying to further negotiations with one party."
Mr Haslam said he could not give a timescale as to when the talks will conclude.
The Wetherspoon chain, which includes Lloyds No. 1 bars and 16 newly established Wetherspoon Hotels, champions cask ales, low prices, long opening hours and no music.
The chain reportedly weathered the recession, with record sales levels, as they kept their pubs busy by offering morning coffee and bargain daytime meal offers.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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