Kelham Hall to be transformed into a hotel, spa and conference centre

Kelham Hall is to be transformed from council offices into a hotel, spa and conference centre following the sale of the building to Kelham Hall Limited.

The deal heralds an exciting new future for the historic building and grounds, enabling Kelham Hall Limited - which until now has had a lease to operate the ground floor and host weddings, events and other activities at Kelham Hall - to convert the building and develop and grow its business.

Jonathan Pass, owner of Kelham Hall Ltd, said “This is a really exciting time for Kelham Hall. Our plans will bring the Hall to life, giving people the opportunity not just to visit but to stay in this historic building. We have already invested significantly in the Hall and Grounds to improve the quality of events. In the future we will be able to offer quality accommodation, restaurants and bars.”

Kelham Hall Ltd will be creating more than 80 new jobs as the business expands. The company is also investing in the grounds which will remain open to the public as well as providing outdoor events,  camping and caravanning.

Mr Pass is passionate about Kelham Hall. “This is part of our heritage and we have a great opportunity to give everyone  the chance to experience its unique charm. We will eventually have 65 bedrooms available for wedding guests, tourists and corporate visitors.”

Newark and Sherwood District Council, which has operated from the Kelham site near Newark for the past 40 years, will remain at the Hall until the new offices are complete.

Councillors have already agreed in principle to develop new offices next to the Castle Station in Newark. This will help save the organisation an estimated £420,000 per year because of lower running costs and better energy efficiencies.

Council leader Roger Blaney said: “This agreement to sell Kelham Hall will take the building into an exciting new era and provide the district of Newark and Sherwood with excellent new hotel and conference accommodation. It will open up the building and grounds to new opportunities, preserving its long and distinguished history.

“We are moving ahead with our plans for new, smaller and energy efficient offices which  will be  more accessible and flexible. We will re-invest the proceeds of the sale in these new offices which will  be much cheaper to run and, even taking into account any possible capital investment, this will save a significant amount of money and protect frontline services.”

The council is talking to other public services to see if they want to be partners in the new offices and help make other public services more accessible to the community. A scheme is already operating in Ollerton where the public can access jointly council and Jobcentre Plus services one day a week. The Council’s plans include improving the access to council services in Ollerton and Southwell as well as the new office base in Newark.