A NORTH-EAST hotel has become one of four nationally to close after its parent company went into administration.

The Quality Hotel, in Newcastle, has been closed by administrators of the Real Hotel Company, with the loss of about 20 jobs.

A handwritten sign, seen on the door of the city centre hotel, said: “If you are due to stay here tonight we have transferred your booking to the (neighbouring) Royal Station Hotel. They will honour your rates and booking.”

Three others in the Real Hotel Company’s portfolio of 55 hotels – the Comfort Inn, in Thetford, Norfolk; the Stop Inn Floatel, in Northwich, Cheshire; and the Stop Inn, in Newcastleunder- Lyme, Staffordshire – were also closed by administrators BDO Stoy Hayward.

In total, 150 jobs were lost through the four closures.

The company operates the purplehotels and Stop Inns brands, and franchises the Quality, Comfort and Clarion brands from Choice Hotels International.

It also runs the New Connaught Rooms, one of London’s premier conference and banqueting venues.

A source at Newcastle’s Quality Hotel said the announcement came out of the blue. “Everyone was handed a letter telling them the hotel had gone into administration and they were being made redundant with one month’s pay,” the source said. “Then they were told they had an hour to get their belongings and leave.”