NEW owners are pumping £3million into a run-down hotel.

Greenwoods Hotel Spa and Retreat, in Stock, near Billericay, has been taken over.

Plans are in the pipeline to expand the 39 rooms by adding 20 more, refurbishing the existing bedrooms, creating a larger gym and a new spa.

Keith Cousins, spokesman for Greenwoods, said: “The hotel already has a great reputation which has suffered in the last few years due to lack of investment, but we are about to turn that around.”

He added: “It was its reputation as one of Essex’s luxury hotels that attracted it to us and now we want to return it to its former glory and beyond with a major plan for refurbishment.”

Work has already begun on the revamp.

Bosses are hoping to put in plans to Chelmsford City Council in the near future to be able to create the new rooms.