Couples with weddings booked at The Blazing Donkey in Ham, including some from Thanet, have discovered the business has gone into administration.
The venue, owned by Richard Martin, has a notice on the building informing people of the situation although it is understood there has been no direct contact.
Suppliers are also understood to be affected.
The notice says: “It is with regret that we announce the appointment of administrators to the business known as The Blazing Donkey.
“In January this year the lives of co-directors Richard and Sherry Martin changed irreversibly when Sherry was admitted to hospital with a rare and aggressive brain stem cancer following several months of ill health.
“Mr and Mrs Martin have always been very hands on operators but this illness removed them both from the day to day running of the award winning business they had built together over more than three decades. Inevitably as hands on owner operators their absence was felt acutely and has ultimately proved devastating to the business.”
The notice says non-event operations were immediately halted with the reduced team focusing on weddings already booked in.
It adds: “However, despite significant and sustained cash injections from the couple’s personal resources, without the wider core business operating and with overheads remaining high, it has become unviable to continue delivering those events and operating the business in any form.
“The family acknowledge the disappointment this may cause to couples affected by these circumstances and extend their deepest regret that such action has so sadly become necessary.”
The notice says Mrs Martin passed away aged 63 and Mr Martin has been unable to return to the business.
The administration details have not yet been published on Companies House but the notice says contact details will be “released soon.”
Update September 11th
Notice of Appointment to appoint an administrator has now been filed for Edenlodge Associates Ltd (the company that the venue was run under) with Metro Bank listed as the applicant. Metro Bank has a charge on the property from 2024 which remains outstanding.
I can see how a wedding business could go under like this. People lock in the price of their wedding 2 years to 18 months ahead, which must be tough for a business when food prices have soared over the past year. I went to a lovely wedding there a few months back so it’s sad so many couples will be left in the lurch.
Very sad to hear about the owners cancer and passing away – apologies for forgetting to mention that in my previous comment.
Particularly sad after the way the owner stood up to the government not so long ago.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sandwich/news/1m-to-house-asylum-seekers-at-our-hotel-its-absurd-277153/
Thank you Peter for the link, I wouldn’t have known that, but for your signposting.
I’m surprised that Kathy didn’t mention it in the article. It’s something that made most of the national press at the time.