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The business behind a troubled hotel in a Northumberland village named one of the best places to visit in the UK has been ordered to be wound up. Schooner (Alnmouth) Limited, which is linked
to the Schooner Hotel on the village's main thoroughfare - Northumberland Street - had been subject to action from HMRC, launched in March. Now a High Court judge has said the company
must be wound up and put in the hands of the official receiver, with its assets going to fund the tax authority's costs. The prominent, Grade II-listed property is reputed to be haunted
and has been marketed as a destination for paranormal enthusiasts. But in recent years it has faced a string of problems including a rat infestation which led to the forced closure of its
bar and kitchen following a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice served by Northumberland County Council. In 2023, Mohammed Maten Rohman, who was described as the hotel's owner at the
time, was handed a two-year suspended sentence having pleaded guilty to charges brought under fire safety legislation. Mr Rohman, who had been served four previous enforcement notices
between 2009 and 2019, was sentenced for breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and a breach of an Enforcement Notice served under the same legislation. KEEP UP TO DATE WITH
ALL THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND TOP STORIES FROM THE NORTH EAST WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER A judge told Mr Rohman he had a "flagrant history" of breaching regulations. The offences
related to significant fire safety problems spotted during a routine audit made in June 2021 and included unsafe emergency exits and escape routes, lack of a suitable and sufficient fire
risk assessment, a faulty fire alarm system, inadequate compartmentation between the basement cellar and ground floor and a lack of staff training. Following the audit, fire officers issued
an Enforcement Notice requiring changes to make the venue safe for guests and employees. But when officers returned months later, the deficiencies had not been rectified. Companies House
filings for the Schooner (Alnmouth) Limited show accounts and a confirmation statement were overdue. The business, which is now in liquidation, had faced being struck off the register of
companies on two occasions since it was set up in 2016. ChronicleLive has contacted the company for comment.