A HOTEL’S attempt to "fiercely protect" one bride has left another without anywhere to stay on her wedding night.

With just a week to go before their big day, a Darlington couple were told that they could no longer stay at Walworth Castle because another wedding party had booked its exclusive use.

Abbi Fluen and Steven Woodley – who are due to marry on Friday – had booked rooms at the venue, near Heighington, months in advance.

The pair planned to spend the evening before their wedding there with friends and family before leaving for their ceremony at a church in High Coniscliffe and returning following their reception to spend their wedding night in a bridal suite.

Ms Fluen said they had been open with staff about their plans, with a reservation confirmation seen by The Northern Echo referring to the booking of a “Wedding B&B” package.

But the bride-to-be was left devastated when she was told last Thursday the booking would be cancelled as Walworth Castle’s policy is to have just one bride on site at a time.

Staff claimed they were unaware of her plans to prepare at the hotel and leave from there in her wedding dress.

The 26-year-old said the unexpected cancellation had caused significant inconvenience and upset, adding: “We booked two large four-poster rooms, one for me and my bridesmaids to get ready in and the other for my partner and his groomsmen.

“Most of our friends and family are booked into other rooms there and we booked a bridal suite for after the wedding.

“I would have been leaving Walworth at 1.15pm and I believe the other wedding ceremony is at 1pm so they would have been in the middle of their service when I was leaving – there wouldn’t have even been any interference.

“Our flowers and car have to be rearranged now and we have nowhere to stay on our wedding night.”

The hotel’s management team admitted there had been some confusion with bookings but told The Northern Echo that they were fiercely protective of their “Walworth brides” and therefore could not honour the Fluen and Woodley booking.

A spokesman for the castle defended the decision, claiming Ms Fluen had not been clear enough about her intentions.

He said: “We cannot have a bride getting married with another one walking down the stairs with a photographer in tow, it just doesn’t work.

“I think questions could have been asked from our point of view but do not think she made it clear from hers.

“Our unique selling point is that when brides book with us, it will be only them on the day.

“It would be remiss of us to have two or three and we are not big enough to cope with that.

“We are fiercely protective of the bride that is getting married with us that day and are not prepared to contact her about this, it wouldn’t be right.”

With just days to go before their wedding, Ms Fluen and her 28-year-old partner are frantically searching for suitable accommodation.

Ms Fluen said: “We’ve rang around everywhere but we’re not going to be able to find anywhere with as nice rooms and I wanted to feel special on my wedding night.

“I think Walworth Castle management should be putting their heads together to find a way to help us.”

The couple were offered a refund of their deposit, discounted rates for some booked rooms and a complimentary night’s stay for the future.

However, the spokesman said the hotel would not be offering further compensation and were not willing to help the couple find alternative accommodation.