A HOTEL and restaurant in Leigh was put up for sale this week without its staff being notified.

The Sporting Lodge Greyhound Hotel and Restaurant in Leigh has been criticised on social media for keeping employees in the dark.

But although bosses admit staff were not told the Warrington Road property was being listed for sale online, they say that jobs are not under threat and refute social media claims of the building being sold to developers intending to turn it into flats.

Director Patrick Kelly said: “The rumours regarding the sale to developers is completely untrue.

“The hotel is listed as 'on the market' but we have had no interested parties yet, and if and when it is sold it will be as an ongoing concern, meaning that no staff will lose their jobs.

“It has only recently gone onto the market and staff were going to be informed of this.”

It was also claimed on social media that the decision to put the hotel and restaurant up for sale stemmed from it having received a one-star food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency for the past three years.

This claim was also denied by Mr Kelly.

He said: “These claims that our food hygiene rating is the reason behind the potential sale are totally untrue.

“Obviously we are not happy with this result and we are working towards getting this score improved.

“We hope that by next year we will have done so.”

Staff found out about the hotel and restaurant being available to buy via the internet.