AN IMPENDING takeover of a luxury hotel near Bampton has led to the cancellation of a host of weddings and left couples frantically trying to reschedule their big day.

The Cotswold Plough Hotel in Clanfield is changing ownership on January 1.

However, when the new owners move in they will not be honouring any of the events planned for early 2020.

47-year-old Natasha Hall is one of the soon to be brides who had had her dream day called off.

Miss Hall, who works at Parkers Properties in Witney, is due to marry her fiancé Kerrin Harris, 40 - who works in IT - next Easter.

The couple were looking forward to their wedding at the Cotswold Plough, coming from Gloucestershire for their big day.

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Miss Hall had booked out all the rooms at the hotel for the Easter weekend, with 32 guests coming from afar as Essex and Cornwall.

Her daughter was taking time off from her studies and was planning on making the journey all the way from the University of Edinburgh.

Miss Hall said: “We had the wedding booked for Easter Sunday and we got a call saying the venue had been bought out and that the new owners wouldn’t be honouring any events from the first of January.

“We rang the Witney registrar and they said it has had a number of people cancelling weddings.

“We’ve lost the deposit for the photo, band, hair and make up.

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“It’s difficult to rearrange with another venue as everywhere else is already booked up for Easter.

“At this point, we might have to just end up doing something with just the two of us.

“At the minute I’m trying to reorganise my wedding as usually I’m an organised person but I’m back to square one now.”

Miss Hall was fortunately able to collect a cheque from the current owners for the deposit and a special gin she was going to have mixed.

Martin Agius, who has been manager at the hotel for 15 years, said: “The hotel is closing on the first of January and a property company is buying it.

“They are gutting and refurbishing the entire building and that will take a long time so that’s why they won’t be honouring any events.

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“We’re making sure we’re giving everyone their deposits back.

“We were also given short notice and was only informed that they wouldn’t be doing any of the events recently.”

Due to contractual agreements with the takeover, Mr Agius was unfortunately unable to disclose the name of the company who are taking over.

He did confirm however that he would be keeping the Gin Pantry - which offers gin testing session and the chance to blend your own gin at the hotel - and was looking forward to expanding on the business in 2020.

Up until the takeover, the Cotswold Plough was a licensed wedding venue.

It is unknown whether this will be the case under the new owners.