Court action taken against Northumberland hotel following customer complaints

The Trading Standards team at Northumberland County Council took action against The Schooner Hotel.

It came after dissatisfied customers experienced a variety of issues at the hotel, many citing they felt they had been misled by photographs advertising the hotel on the internet, which they felt bore a poor resemblance to the actual unclean and poorly decorated rooms they were allocated on arrival.

The council also received complaints of unsafe or hazardous conditions and that the hotel, and its owners and employees failed to appropriately address consumers concerns.

Now, Trading Standards officers have successfully secured an undertaking with the New Schooner Hotel Ltd, Mohammed Maten Rohman, Momotaj Rohman and Javed Rohman.

Action taken under the Enterprise Act 2002, to protect consumers, prohibits the company from offering accommodation and furnishings that are dirty or in poor state of repair or decoration, offering hazardous accommodation or facilities, or offering accommodation which is significantly poorer than is advertised.

The undertaking will be in place for five years.

Darin Wilson, the council’s business compliance & public safety unit manager, said: “Northumberland is a popular tourist destination and Alnmouth is a key area that many people love to visit.

"It is sad to see so many consumers being impacted in a negative way by this business. It gives the area a bad name and it is important we support our law-abiding traders by taking action against businesses that do not comply with the law and disadvantage the public.

“We try to work with businesses to resolve issues, but where there is repeated noncompliance and businesses do not work to make improvements, then robust sanctions will be used to protect consumers and other businesses to maintain a fair and legal trading environment.”

The council adds that if any of the defendants breach the terms of the undertaking, further action will be taken.

The Schooner Hotel dates back to the 17th century and can count on King George III and Charles Dickens among its famous visitors.

It is also reputedly haunted, with the hotel claiming reports of at least 60 sightings of distinct spirits.

The Schooner Hotel has been approached for comment.

The dramatic events of the pandemic are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on your support through buying our newspaper. If you can, please pick up a copy of the Northumberland Gazette when you are at the shops. Thank you.