Prested Hall 'open for business again' after takeover

Prested Hall, in Feering, closed without any warning last month after a wedding fair listed on the company's website was postponed without reason. 

Employees at the hospitality venue told the Gazette bosses had informed them they were no longer needed to work, with one saying they had been made redundant.

Visitors to the planned wedding fair at the hall were also left scratching their heads when they arrived at the site only to find the venue was closed.

The firm was put into liquidation with documents on Ccompanies House confirming a liquidator was appointed. 

Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Several worried parties raised concerns over whether or not their weddings and events would still go ahead at the 15th Century manor house.

After weeks of radio silence, and despite repeated requests for answers from the Gazette, Prested Hall bosses have now confirmed the establishment has been taken over. 

A spokesman said: "We are pleased to announce that Prested Hall is under new management.

"We now have an experienced Board with significant experience within the business and hospitality industries who are going to take Prested Hall forward.

"It gives us great pleasure to confirm that Prested Hall is open for business again.

"Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance."

Prior to the takeover, one bride-to-be was left "completely devastated" by the troubles which faced her planned wedding venue after a letter revealed "liquidators had been called in".

Speaking to BBC Essex the woman, who was due to get married in April, said: "We're going to have to sit and wait, we can't really afford to do anything else.

"We are hoping we can still have our wedding at Prested Hall, because we fell in love with that place, and it's the one place my fiancée really wanted to get married at.

"Obviously if that doesn't happen he's going to be devastated."