THE end appears to be sight for the beleaguered Coniston Hotel.

Owners Accommodata have issued redundancy notices or sackings to the hotel’s staff who were told that the Coniston will close on Wednesday after which it will be boarded up.

It ends two-and-a-half years of wrangling over whether it would remain open or be closed.

On Tuesday, Sittingbourne Rotarians, who still meet at the hotel on Tuesdays for a lunchtime gathering, were told that next week would be their last.

In February, couples hoping to hold their wedding receptions at the hotel were told they have been cancelled.

Michelle Reeve, who ran salsa nights with husband John, was also told to find an alternative venue.

It brings to an end a sorry recent history for Sittingbourne town centre’s only hotel.

In January, 2003, the Kent Messenger exclusively broke the news that the Coniston was being bought by Accommodata, a company that runs asylum reception centres.

They signed a contract with the Government to house asylum seekers but that plan was shelved after protests from the local community, including MP Derek Wyatt.

Accommodata was forced to continue running the Coniston as a hotel but a year later, was accused by sacked chef Colin Hix, 66, of trying to run it into the ground.

Neither parent group Accommo-data, nor managers at the Coniston would comment.

But a sacked employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims management turned up on Monday and issued redundancy notices to staff entitled to them, and sacked the rest.