Sutton couple have 'no faith' that wedding will take place at hotel after work extension delay

A Sutton couple say they have "no faith" that their wedding will go ahead at a hotel after work on an extension has been delayed.
Jack and Gemma.Jack and Gemma.
Jack and Gemma.

Gemma Pickbourne, aged 34 and 28-year-old Jack Tomlinson, from Sutton, have been engaged for four-and-a-half-years.

The couple, who have two sons, have booked their big day for the four-star Hotel Van Dyk, in Clowne, on October 20.

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However, work on a new extension at the hotel which was due to be ready for summer weddings this year, has been delayed due to a number of problems.

Jack and Gemma.Jack and Gemma.
Jack and Gemma.

After booking in March, the couple, both support workers for adults with learning disabilities and autism, said they were told the extension would be ready for November 2018, then March, then July and now August.

At this stage, the hotel says weddings in July or August are the only ones affected.

However, Gemma said she has “no faith” that the extension will be ready for their wedding date and the couple want their deposit back.

Gemma said: “It has caused me to be really stressed.

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“It is horrible. We do not need this. It should be a nice time for us. We know we are not the only ones.

“It is not good enough. We have not got any faith in them. We are fighting for our money back.”

Jack said: “We politely requested for our deposit back and did not ask for extra, bearing in mind we would have to pay for all invites to be redone and also our marriage certificates to be redone, it would easily go into hundreds of pounds.

“But we just wanted the deposit. This was rejected. Unfortunately we put our trust in this company and the contract we have signed still stands, because as long as it is built for our wedding it cannot be disputed.”

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A hotel spokesman said all couples that were due to marry in the new extension in July or August had been spoken to and offered a number of “goodwill gestures”.

A hotel spokesman said: “It’s with regret that our extension will not be open until August 2019.

“We as a team are very sorry for any upset and stress we have caused to our couples due to marry before the new section will be open.”

The hotel has also offered affected couples the opportunity to book a new date, the option of moving their wedding to the main building and a £2,000 “goodwill gesture”.

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A later update provided by the hotel said electricity has been the main issue but they are hopeful this will soon be resolved.

The hotel said that the only issue ‘not in our control’ is the roundabout.

A spokesperson said: “We should know in the next couple of weeks if this could cause any further delay.”