Fire-damaged hotel's staff face being laid off

ATLANTIQUE HOTEL staff will stop being paid in a matter of weeks if work has not started to repair damage caused by a devastating fire, its proprietor confirmed yesterday.

Roy Smith, pictured, said he had paid out £38,000 in wages and hotel bills since the blaze last month, which spread from the laundry room and caused the evacuation of all staff and guests.

But he admitted that continuing to pay his five staff while the hotel was closed would not be possible for much longer.

Workers would be left without an income and faced finding their own accommodation.

'Nothing has really happened and we are still in a similar position as to when the fire took hold,' he said.