A FORMER open prison in Tardebigge has been sold.
Land including Hewell Grange, which was previously HMP Hewell’s open accommodation, has been snapped up by husband and wife team Weiqun Liu and Ningyun Chen.
The couple are no strangers to the hospitality market and also own the Grade II listed Normanton Park Hotel in Rutland Water, Leicestershire and Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel.
The main Hewell Grange building is Grade I listed and was constructed in the late 1800s for Lord and Lady Windsor.
Surrounding the building s 247 acres of land and a further 21 listed buildings including the ruins of the old Hewell Grange which is believed to have been built in the early 1700s.
The decision to close the accommodation came following HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ inspection in 2019.
It was closed in March 2020 and was branded by the chief inspector of prisons at the time as the worst conditions of an open prison he had ever seen.
According to companies house, Hewell Grange is to be turned into an events space.
