FORMER staff at The Lymm Hotel are hosting a reunion to relive their work days before it closes its doors for good.

Lymm Villafont Ltd’s application to demolish Lymm Hotel, on Whitbarrow Road, and build a 66-bed residential care home, 45 retirement apartments and a children’s nursery were approved in December.

More than 180 objections to the application were submitted by residents.

Disappointed former staff who share fond memories of their time at the hotel have organised a reunion after contacting each other through social media almost 40 years on.

For a final goodbye, colleagues are travelling from all over the country to visit the historic site - which once welcomed three-time World Cup winner Pele.

Gillian Miller used to lived on Statham Avenue and worked at the hotel when she was 14 years old.

Now living in Hertfordshire, she is making the journey back up north to meet up with her former colleagues on Saturday, January 12.

Gillian said: "The family of workers; from kitchen porters, chefs, chambermaids, front of office, banqueting waitresses, silver service waitresses to bartenders and porters have remained stoic after hearing this sad news.

"We all have fond memories of our time at the hotel, from news of marriages, celebrations and funerals - these stories have all shaped our futures in one way or another.

"We held annual staff parties, with one memory standing out as my two colleagues from banqueting all performed to Bananarama 'Nathan Jones'.

"There have been marriages between staff, who are still together and the memories have all come flooding back recently while the reunion has been organised."