Owner of New County Hotel in Perth where three people died in fire enters liquidation

The company which owns a Perth hotel where three people died in a fire has gone into liquidation.

A blaze at the New County Hotel on January 2 claimed the lives of sisters Donna Janse van Rensburg and Sharon McLean from Aberdeen, and Keith Russell, from Edinburgh.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing.

The New County Hotel is owned by a firm called Perth Hospitality Ltd. Liquidators have been appointed to the company over an unpaid energy bill.

Donna Janse Van Rensburg, 44, and Sharon McLean, 47, both from Aberdeen, and “loving father” Keith Russell, 38, originally from Edinburgh. Police Scotland

The business was taken to court in Leeds by Energie Power Ltd, with a court document dated July 11 ordering that Perth Hospitality was wound up.

Records on Companies House show that joint liquidators from FRP Advisory were appointed earlier this month.

Perth Hospitality is one of a number of firms owned by Rashid Hussain. STV News has attempted to contact him but has received no response at time of publication.

Three people and a dog died in the fire in January.

A catalogue of fire-safety failures were identified at the hotel by both the fire service and the local council just weeks before the blaze.

Hotel staff said they repeatedly raised concerns over a lack of heating and torn carpets but nothing was done.

Almost nine months on from the fire, Police Scotland said it is continuing to investigate the cause of the devastating blaze.

A statement from FRP said: “David Willis and Martyn Pullin of FRP Advisory Trading Limited were appointed by the secretary of state as joint liquidators of Perth Hospitality Limited on August 3, 2023.

“Perth Hospitality Limited is understood to have provided hotel management services. The liquidators are conducting statutory investigations as they explore the conduct of the business and events leading up to the insolvency.”