Judges Hotel near Yarm shuts down as bookings are refunded

The hotel informed customers their weddings had been cancelled

A country house hotel has closed its doors for good, several days after cancelling weddings and events.

Judges Hotel, near Yarm, had told customers it would no longer fulfil their wedding bookings as it had been put up for sale.

One couple said they were "left in limbo" after being told refunds would only be issued once the venue was sold.

However, the hotel has now refunded affected couples and confirmed it has shut down.

It is understood that some workers have been offered redundancy or jobs in other locations.

The venue, which described itself as a "luxury destination" for "dream weddings", stopped taking bookings for rooms and future events, last week.

Danny Currie and Rebecca Pye have been left waiting for their refund

It came as couples, including Rebecca Pye, 40, and Danny Currie, 45, feared they may not be able to afford another wedding if their deposits were not refunded.

The pair, from Stainton near Middlesbrough, had paid almost £8,000 towards their £10,000 wedding package.

At the time, they said they "couldn't afford" to pay for another venue without receiving a refund, fearing a sale could take "months or years".

Meanwhile, other couples contacted the BBC and said they had not been given a timeframe and and were left with very little notice to find an alternative venue.

The situation prompted other businesses to offer their services for free.

On Wednesday, Ms Pye confirmed they had been refunded in full and were now able to get married elsewhere.

In an automatic email response, the hotel thanked patrons for their "custom over the years" and said "Judges Hotel is now closed".

Its future remains unknown but the Home Office has confirmed it will not be used as accommodation for asylum seekers, despite reports on social media.

Judges Hotel was approached for comment.