Council rules out BUYING Stradey Park Hotel as staff offered lifeline

The local authority has confirmed it has no plans to procure the building, nor has it received any approaches from the Home Office or other organisations regarding its future use.

This comes as the council moves swiftly to offer a lifeline to hotel staff, who were left reeling by the sudden announcement that the four-star venue had ceased trading.

Officers have made direct contact with employees to provide crucial employability support during what has been described as a “very difficult and worrying time.”

The council’s statement follows a personal video plea from Stradey Park Hotel CEO Ahsan Ullah, who vowed “we are not walking away” and pledged to return the hotel to normal operations.

Crucially, the council has also gained assurance from Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith, following her discussions with the Home Office, that the building is not being considered for any temporary housing plans.

This echoes the earlier “no asylum hotel” pledge secured by the MP, which aimed to reassure the community amid widespread speculation.

Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Linda Evans, expressed her “extreme disappointment” at the owners’ decision to close the hotel “in such sudden fashion.”

Cllr Evans emphasised that the council’s “priority is to the staff of the hotel,” highlighting the immediate support being offered to those directly affected.

Local councillors Martyn Palfreman and Edward Skinner, representing the Hengoed Ward, welcomed the council’s measures to help staff.

They also reiterated their relief at the UK Government’s assurance regarding the hotel not being used to house asylum seekers, encouraging residents with concerns to contact them directly.

The shock closure of the Stradey Park Hotel has prompted a wave of community support from other local businesses, offering jobs and alternative venues for cancelled events.

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