I used to live in the town and now visit occasionally for work. I have not had much luck recently. The Premier Inn is probably the best but I gave that a bad review recently because it was so awfully hot in the rooms. This time my main problem was that there was no heat in my room and given that my visit was mid-December this is not good!

I was offered a portable heater, but I was told this was in another room and the young girl claimed she could not get access until the occupier returned. From this I surmised that another guest was going to be dep[rivfed of what might be much needed heat for them. And did not this gilr have a pass key? Anyway, the heater never arrived. Fortunately, despite the time of year, the weather, whilst cold, was not freezing and so I survived.

The reception was never manned (except once, on my arrival); this is forgiveable in a small busy hotel (there were Christmas parties) where the lack of full time receptionists out of normal hours is acceptable, but there should be means of summoning assitance rather than having to run round to find busy bar or restaurant staff to help.

The lighting in the room was not good enough for anyone over 45 to read by - very gloomy.

My television only received BBC1 and BBC2 intermitently - much of the time the screen announced "Poor Signal" but the other channels were fine. Bizarrely, the TV also regularly swtiched itself off - three times in one half hour period between about 9:30 and 10:00pm.

Outside my room there was a flat roof with a large funnel emerging from the roof. I took this to be some kind of extractor device and this made a decidedly intrusive and constant noise. It stopped at 11 pm and started again at 6.30 am.

Cleanliness was dubious. There were a few bits of what looked like tinsel or confettii on the carpet and the waste bin in the bathroom had not been emptied from an earlier guest.

MY main issues that could so eaisly be put right were: no heat (shocking issue really in the height of winter and my guess is that this was not a recent problem, the radiator had the feel of one that had not worked for a long time); terrible lighting; poor TV performance; dubious cleaning. The noisey extractor was probably unavoidable but it still means I am unlilkey to try the place again.

I can forgive that this hotel is in a very old, creaky, rabbit-warren of a building which inevitably suffers from years of alteration and botching to provide modern facilties. But much more could be done to improve it. The windows are in very poor shape and let in drafts and suffer very badly with condensation. There may be planning problems with double galzing, I don't know, but I am most certain more could be done. Lighting could easily be improved and efforts should be made to ensure reception assitance can be eaisly summoned. These are not difficult things to achieve.

The room was cheap (I paid £57.50 through Late Rooms); but I would far rather pay a decent price and get a comfortable warm, clean, bright room.

Absolutely not recommended.