Peterborough hotel ‘decimated by Brexit and Covid-19’ could become private care home

A planning application has been submitted to the city council to convert Peterborough by Verve at The Hub in Newton Way, Fengate, to a residential care facility with a meeting room and gym.

A Planning Statement submitted to the council on behalf of Verve Health states: “The owner purchased the hotel site in 2013 and had many successful years.

“However, since Brexit in January 2019, when the majority of the hotel’s regular migrant worker clients returned to their country of origin, the business has slumped by 70 per cent as they were the hotel’s core business.

“The accounts for 2019/2020 showed a loss of 126,000.

“Now with Covid-19 the hotel is on its knees and the opportunity to change the use to a care facility will move the business in a new long-term viable direction.

“The hotel is now only open Friday-Sunday (inclusive) as its is not viable to open all week without any guests.

“The proposed use would be operated by Nick Conn, the founder and CEO of Help4addiction and Verve Health as a specialist private drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre regulated by the Care Quality Commission with treatment programmes ranging from seven days to one month.

“The team would consist of experienced and qualified counsellors and practitioners in drug and alcohol addiction treatment, with a philosophy to help clients become sober and drug free and to help build a life of hope and freedom for their future.

“This is provided through an evidenced based program that is focused on abstinence and offers diversity to clients through a range of therapies that will enable the clients to overcome their addictions by offering a world-class rehabilitation, alcohol and drug detox programmes.

“The applicant would continue to employ the existing staff in similar roles when operated as a residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre. This would be operated as a privately-run residential facility with some NHS referrals - it is not a drop-in facility.”

The site currently comprises a total of 55 en-suite bedrooms (including staff accommodation).

According to the Planning Statement, if the application is approved the existing four full-time staff and five part-time staff would be kept on and joined by an additional eight full-time staff members covering professional and support roles.

The application will now be considered by the city council’s planning department.