AROUND 30 people have lost their jobs after an award-winning hotel in Seamill closed down - with management admitting they are "devastated" at the decision.

Staff members at the Seamill House Hotel have been paid just 60 per cent of their wages after the hotel's doors were closed for the final time at the end of last week.

Employees were told that information on how they will be able to claim the rest of their pay will follow once a liquidator has been appointed.

The hotel's doors were closed for the final time at the end of last week and the owners are now in the process of appointing a liquidator.

Owner David McCulloch confirmed the closure of the Ardrossan Road business.

He said: "Yesterday’s news was devastating for us all at Seamill House and this of course is extremely distressful to us all.

"Our priority is ensuring all staff wages, holiday entitlement and redundancy where applicable are processed as quickly as possible, and this process has already begun under the appointed liquidator."

He added: "We can’t begin to tell you how sorry and shell shocked we are of the closure, and the loss of jobs. As and when we obtain more information from the liquidator, we shall of course pass this on.

"Once again we are devastated to give this news and so sorry for it eventually resulting in closure.

"The hotel has now been placed on the market for freehold/leasehold for any prospective new operators. All local suppliers were paid in full.

"I am, by a considerable margin the largest creditor, then HMRC."

In a message to staff, issued on January 30, manager Dan Rant and assistant manager Justine Rant said: "It is with an exceptionally heavy heart that we must announce the closure of Seamill House Hotel Ltd.

"The company, as you'll all be aware, has recently been through an excessively tough spell with resignations/shortages in key areas, negative press/reviews, limiting our customer numbers and increasing costs exacerbating the impact from older issues from the Covid era.

"Justine and I have been working tirelessly to maintain not only job security but job satisfaction.

"After talks with David and the accountants, the stark reality is that there are no other options available to continue the business in these conditions.

"Please believe us when we say that we are devastated that it has come to this.

"We would both like to thank each and everyone of you for your support, efforts and friendship throughout the years.

"You will have been paid 60 per cent of your wages through the remaining money in the account, leaving nothing in the limited company's account whatsoever."

They said the company was now in the process of appointing a liquidator, and information about how staff can claim the remainder of their pay would be available after his assessment this week.

One worker told us: "The hotel manager told staff on WhatsApp at 5pm on Monday and we have only been paid 60 per cent of our wages

"We are all sitting with just over half the pay we were due, and no information on how to claim our wages."

Another former Seamill House employee added: "The manager sent us a text saying we would only be getting just over half our wages. It is ridiculous."

The business won the prize for the 'best small hotel' at the Prestige Hotel Awards in Glasgow in 2018 - just four months after it opened.