DETAILS of a masterplan to revamp a dilapidated Herefordshire hotel into a five-star venue have been revealed by its millionaire owner.

The Hop Pole Hotel in Bromyard has been a long-decaying sight in the town's Market Square, with planning permission for an extensive internal refurbishment now being applied for.

Alfie Best, founder and chair of Wyldecrest Parks which own Sapey Golf and Country Club and Saltmarshe Castle Residential Park nearby, bought the hotel in 2019 and said the refurb would save the "dying town".

Plans from Nick Joyce Architects, which were said to be on behalf of Essex-based Wyldecrest Parks, showed a larger single-storey flat-roofed extension was proposed for the rear of the building, which backs onto Rowberry Street.

It was needed for access to the newly-discovered basement, which could be turned into a dining area.

The whole application, sent off to Herefordshire Council, said internal alterations, including the conversion of attic space and additional rooflights were also needed – which Mr Best, who featured in ITV’s Undercover Big Boss in August, previously said was so more rooms could be created.

There would also be a ramp to the front door for disabled access and an historic window would be reinstated.

The plans also said that there were no bats or nesting birds found within the building in April 2021, and there was a sustainable drainage strategy drawn up to prevent contributing to the high levels of phosphates in the river Lugg catchment area.

Plans have also been drawn up to minimise the impact on the local transport network, which should also give customers a choice of transport, including walking, cycling and buses.

A Grade II-Listed building, the plans for the hotel aim to "conserve ad enhance the historic environment", the architect working on the scheme said.

After buying the hotel in 2019, Mr Best – named the 382nd richest person in Britain in the Sunday Times Rich List in 2020 – said he would plough £1.2 million into the hotel, some of which would come from the profits made at Saltmarshe.

Plans are not currently available on Herefordshire Council's website, but can be seen at the Bromyard Community Transport offices in Rowberry Street.