COUPLES planning to marry at a popular North-East hotel face wedding day misery after it announced plans to close.

The Newbus Arms, at Neasham, near Darlington, which is a premier venue in the region for weddings, is to close next month.

Scores of couples who planned to get married at the hotel, as well as those who were intending to hold wedding receptions there, will be affected by the decision.

The family-owned hotel, which holds a licence to perform civil wedding ceremonies, will honour weddings booked up to October.

Weddings and receptions after that date and those booked for next year have been cancelled and deposits refunded.

A Darlington man due to be married at the hotel, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were horrified when we found out. My fiance was in tears all day and we have had to rally around to find another venue on another date at great expense to us. It has been very distressing as some guests can't make the new date.

"The hotel said that they would still honour the wedding, but we were concerned they would bring in agency staff and the atmosphere would not be the same."

The Darlington Registrar was due to carry out four weddings after October at the Newbus Arms, a farmhouse mansion dating from 1610.

A council spokesman said: "Where we are involved we are doing everything we can to help people sort out their arrangements to make sure they will be able to enjoy a special day."

The Newbus Arms was sold by Kenny and Lynn Beagle to John Wain, of Piercebridge, for an undisclosed sum last December.

Despite numerous attempts by The Northern Echo to contact Mr Wain there has been no response.

The hotel has 16 bedrooms, a 46-seat restaurant and function, conference and banqueting facilities.

It will close on Sunday, September 8.