An Irvine hotel has closed its doors for the last time.

The Annfield House Hotel has ceased trading after owners sold the property recently.

And the Times can reveal the new owners have no plans to continue running the Castle Street hotel as a business after applying for planning permission to turn it into a residential property.

According to planning documents submitted to North Ayrshire Council last week, new owner Lisa MacDonald plans to “change of use from hotel to form dwelling house”.

In the planning application Ms MacDonald writes: “We want to change Annfield House from a hotel back to a private house for us to live in” and lists herself as the applicant and sole proprietor of the property and its land.

The hotel was listed for sale at offers over £325,000 and previous owner Dionne Conway confirmed to the Times this week the hotel had been sold.

Posting on the hotel’s Facebook page she said: “To all our customers, as we close for business for the last time tonight we would like to take this opportunity to thank you. We all have very much appreciated your custom and support over the past 10 years. On behalf of the entire team at Annfield, Thank you.”

The post prompted more than 70 comments from people who were surprised and disappointed at the news. One customer said: “We stayed there last weekend and the staff were lovely and vowed we would be back. So sorry to hear this.”

Another said: “Sorry to hear this got to be one of the best hotels I’ve had the pleasure to stay in . And the food was second to none. Wish you all good luck in the future”