Ashby de la Zouch Town Council says spending £620,000 on the purchase of the Bath Grounds is justified - as its lease had just 18 months to run.

The Town Council agreed unanimously at its meeting last night (Monday) to complete the purchase of the Bath Grounds from Oakland Hotels Ltd, the current owners of the Royal Hotel and all the surrounding land.

In a statement issued today (Tuesday), the Council explained that the deal was initiated in 2014 by the Town Council Leader John Coxon in response to planning applications for the Royal Hotel submitted by Oakland.

These included plans for five executive homes on two acres of the Bath Grounds which would have netted Oakland a profit of some £620,000.

The Town Council agreed to match this sum in return for the freehold of the entire 14 acres of the Bath Grounds, on the proviso that the money be used exclusively for the restoration of the Royal Hotel building.

The statement says that some felt the Town Council had offered too much for the Bath Grounds.

It adds: "But with the current lease from Oakland expiring in June 2023, and in the knowledge that any extension to the lease might well prove difficult to secure, the Town Council stuck to its guns.

"The deal was initially conditional on Oakland receiving "satisfactory" planning approval from North West Leicestershire District Council for developments on the hotel car park - and on the Hastings Garden (the land between the hotel and the railway embankment).

"However, Oakland eventually dropped this condition, and the legal complexities that will ensure the £620,000 is used for the refurbishment of the Royal Hotel building have now been approved by Town Councillors."

The Town Council now expects to complete its purchase of the Bath Grounds within the next couple of weeks, ending years of uncertainty over the future of the much loved "green heart" of Ashby.

Although unable to attend the Town Council's meeting its Leader, Cllr Coxon, was "absolutely delighted" to hear of the outcome.

He described it as: "A win-win, the people getting the Bath Grounds and the Royal gets a massive cash injection to enable restoration works to commence".

He also praised the perseverance of the Town Clerk, Jack Fargher, for securing "this wonderful opportunity".

Mr Fargher, in turn, also thanked the help received by Ashby solicitors Fishers, whose representative Ian Riley assisted the council through the complexities of the deal.