The Mayor of Ross-on-Wye, Harry Bramer, a Town and County Councillor, as well as a business man who owns and runs wedding venues, is calling on the owners of the Chase Hotel, Camanoe Estates Ltd to rethink their plans to close and redevelop the hotel site. And he wants residents who think that the Chase Hotel should be saved to join in him a campaign to persuade the owners to change their minds.

Councillor Bramer told the Ross Gazette that since this paper broke the news on January 9th that the Chase Hotel is to close in September 2019 his post bag has swelled with letters from local residents deeply concerned about the potential loss of the Hotel as a local valued asset.

He said: “To me and to those that have written to me – it is unthinkable that the Hotel be allowed to close – and as the Mayor of Ross – I consider it my duty to take exception with the current owners Camanoe Estates Limited when they say ‘changing visitor preferences, coupled with high costs of upkeep have made it impossible to trade profitably’. “

He added: “I would point out that these are my personal thoughts and not those of Herefordshire Council or its Cabinet or Ross Town Council where I am currently its Mayor.”

The 36 Bedroom Chase Hotel has in recent years become iconic for this town – being at the very Gateway to The Wye and Cllr Bramer said: “To lose it to redevelopment would be staggeringly detrimental for this town.”

He thinks a better option might be to seek a change of ownership to enable the hotel to become a major player as a ‘destination’ hotel in the Wye Valley. However, he told the Gazette that he is not planning on becoming the new owner himself.

Cllr Bramer told the Ross Gazette: “The Localism Act – under which Camanoe Estates Limited will be recording their consultation with the residents of Ross regarding the closure of the Chase Hotel does give me a further suggestion that we in Ross might investigate the possibility that the hotel be added to the list of Assets of Community Value – so that if closed and threatened with disposal – the community will be informed and given the opportunity to have a say in its future.”

He issued a rallying call for residents who want the Chase Hotel to be saved to contact him. He said: “Please do not think that all is lost – if you feel as I do that The Chase Hotel should be saved as an hotel and for the town of Ross on Wye – please feel free to write to me at The Corn Exchange - and let’s see what we can do.”See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.