THE new owners of a Baildon hotel have applied for permission to build a new wedding marquee on site.

Britannia Hotels, which purchased Hollins Hall Hotel, Golf and Country Club last year, says the new facility is needed as the pub’s business model “needs improvement.”

A planning application submitted to Bradford Council is calling for permission to erect a 30 metre by 20 metre marquee at the front of the pub.

In a letter to the Council Britannia Hotels explains that marquee is needed to make the hotel profitable and ensure its future.

It says hotel is currently losing business due to a lack of on site function space.

Britannia bought the hotel from Marriott, and the application claims that the fact the successful hotel chain was willing to sell the site shows that change was needed.

The plans are expected to create around six new jobs.

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In recent years marquees and bespoke function venues have become increasingly popular locations for weddings, with increasing numbers of hotels, pubs and restaurants looking to add wedding marquees to their sites.

The planning application submitted to Bradford Council last month says: “The fact that the Marriott Group felt motivated to drop this Hotel from their portfolio is in itself an indication that its current business model needs improvement.

“The proposed Marquee will enable us to make the hotel profitable and keep it operating and contributing to Bradford’s local economy. The addition of the Marquee would serve to stimulate the hospitality economy in this area of Bradford especially in the conference, banqueting and wedding markets.

“We receive many requests for these events, but currently cannot accommodate at this scale.

“The hotel is a popular location for newly married couples who often have a photo shoot of their wedding day taken with the impressive architecture and grounds of the hotel as a backdrop.

“Wedding photoshoots often take place when the newlyweds are not having their reception at or staying in the hotel.

“We feel it would be a natural business move to be able to accommodate these people and their families on their special day. The proposed marquee will allow us to do that.

“It would support the local economy, retain and encourage the growth of a number of jobs for staff and create an event space for local people.

“A comparable hotel where we have successfully utilised a Marquee to promote conference, banqueting and wedding events is Sprowston Manor near Norwich. Likewise, at Bosworth Hall in Leicestershire we have utilised a marquee to promote business in the grounds of this stunning and nationally significant grade II* listed building.”

A decision on the planning application is expected shortly before Christmas.