New owners of the White Lion Hotel in Wisbech have resurrected plans for an eight bedroom annex first considered in 2011.

The hotel closes today following the sale and plans for the extension were submitted ahead of refurbishment and completion of the sale.

Customers staying at the White Lion hotel in vented their thoughts on Trip Advisor ahead of the closure.

“This place is closing shortly,” wrote one disgruntled customer.

“The staff didn’t seem to feel the need to be professional any more as they are all losing their jobs. The room was ok. The other areas were dated and dirty.

“I sat on my own in the bar while the staff chatted among themselves, talking about guests. They had limited food as they were closing down.”

But there was praise for “the chef and the older lady at the bar were lovely but if it was me paying for this personally I’d be furious”.

Another from two weeks ago wrote that “our overnight stay was an absolute disaster. “The heat in the room was unbearable, even with the fan on permanently.

“Even worse than the heat was the dreadful thumping music which was bad enough in the afternoon but totally unacceptable at 2am”.

The reviewer was also left unimpressed by the lack of customer service.

“I asked for a low room because I have mobility issues, so was not impressed to be in the attic,” they wrote.

“The room was beyond tired, just like me on the Sunday morning. There was no wardrobe , only a short pole sticking out from the wall.

“The gentleman who let us in on the Saturday night, laughed at my wobbly walk, obviously assuming I’d had too much to drink. Thanks for that, it helped my self esteem heaps.”

3D Planning has submitted the 8 bedroom extension proposals on behalf of the new owners to Fenland Council.

It is the same proposal approved by the council in 2011 and is based on the design originally put forward by Search Architecture.

3D says in its application that “the ongoing vitality and viability of Wisbech town centre is a key aspiration for Fenland Council. As such the investment proposed is entirely in accordance with this aim, and that this in itself is a significant public benefit that weighs in favour of the application”.

3D adds that the annex “provides an attractive building in an otherwise unfortunate gap in built form, as well as screening the White Lion car park from heritage assets”.