Rumours surrounding the future ownership of country house hotel Stapleford Park are circulating after Caterer received tip-offs suggesting it was being sold.
Caterer was told by an anonymous source that the Leicestershire hotel was about to be sold to family-owned property and shipping company Fairacres for about £18m.
A separate source, who claimed to be close to the deal, initially agreed that discussions were under way and indicated that the deal had gone beyond initial discussion stages. However, they later retracted the information, claiming their comments were in reference to another deal.
The source explained the original confirmation had been given "under a misunderstanding" and was actually regarding a different hotel with a park.
Renold Tang, owner of Stapleford Park, categorically denied the rumours: "We are not in talks with anyone. This place is not on the market. We are not selling."
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 14 April 2005