Punch Taverns, the UK’s largest pub company, has saved the day for three couples, whose big days would have been cancelled after operators Cains Brewery went in to administration last week.
 
Punch Taverns leased the Steeton Hall Hotel, Keighley to Cains who had taken deposits for a number of bookings including two civil ceremonies and wedding receptions due to take place this weekend and one in September.

After receivers went in to the hotel last Thursday, Punch stepped in to begin a search for operators who could run the venue over the weekend and honour the wedding bookings.

Punch’s operations manager Karen Canning explains: “The outlet is a hotel, not a pub so we didn’t have our usual bank of talent to draw on.  After trying about a dozen different operators, Publicana, who run a number of other Punch sites, agreed to take on Steeton Hall for us and ensure the weddings still took place.”

She continues: “These people had paid in full for a civil ceremony and wedding reception and found out two days before that it couldn’t go ahead.    There is no way they would have been able to find an alternative venue in time and would have lost the full cost of the wedding. Punch will be footing the bill in full.”
“A wedding is such a huge event in a person’s life so I’m delighted that we were able to help,” adds Karen.