Bognor's Royal Norfolk for sale in shockmove

The three-star Royal Norfolk Hotel has been put on the market by its current operator, the Christ for the Nations UK charity.

Some 40 full and part-time staff work at the hotel at this time of year. They were told the news of the sale by CFN's founder, the Rev Kevin Swadling. Their jobs are safe under employment laws.

Mr Swadling, who is also the hotel's managing director, told them the business of running the 40-bedroom hotel was taking too much time away from the charity's prime objective of operating a Christian conference centre.

"Over the past four-and-a-half years, the trust has had to concentrate much of its time and resources in refurbishing and turning the hotel's fortunes around," he stated.

"This has been to the detriment of the prime objectives of the trust. We did not set out simply to operate a hotel and, indeed, this is not our purpose.

"Therefore, the trustees have decided to sell the property and business and re-focus on teaching the Christian faith, which is our main vision.

"We have invested a lot into the town by restoring the fortunes of the Royal Norfolk.

"And we believe we will leave the building and the business in a much better state than it was when we first purchased it."

He told the Observer he was sure the hotel would sell even in the current difficult economic climate. The price has not been disclosed.

"Everything sells eventually," he said, "and, in the meantime, it is business as normal."

The Royal Norfolk is Bognor's most historic hotel and dates back to the 1840s. It is a grade two listed building and is sited within a conservation area.

It was also the town's biggest hotel for decades until the Butlins Shoreline Hotel was opened in 2005.

CFN bought the hotel in May 2004 from David and Sallie Skinner who had owned it since January 2002.

The purchase price was 1.6m. The idea was to plough the profits from the hotel into CFN's work and courses. The charity has since invested nearly 1m upgrading the hotel from two to three star standard.

The number of visitor bedrooms varies from about 40 in the summer to 23 in the winter. This is when the hotel's other role as a Christian centre takes priority. Hundreds have attended courses and conferences there.

The hotel plays an important role in the community life of the town. It hosted the Rox music and arts festival for the first time earlier this month. It has also played host to Sands of Time each summer.

Next month (September) will see it become the centrepiece of Bognor's biggest Christian gathering for more than 20 years.

Groups such as the civic society meet at the hotel regularly.

The appearance of its foyer has improved out of all recognition in the past few years under CFN's investment.

Outside, the hotel's imposing appearance and its grounds are a landmark along Bognor seafront.