A CHESTER city centre hotel and bar has been forced to shut its doors temporarily following a Covid outbreak.

The Townhouse reported on Sunday, June 13 that it was closed "until further notice due to a small number of positive cases of Covid-19 received".

The closure also affects its Secret Garden bar and restaurant.

In the statement, posted on the venue's social media channels, it added: "Our customers and team safety must be the priority and on taking advice and with much sadness, we feel this is the correct decision to make.

"During this period our staff will be self-isolating in accordance with Government guidelines and also undergoing testing to enable us to resume services as soon as possible.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused, however your safety is our priority.

"All reservations for today [Sunday] are being cancelled and we are making contact with guests accordingly, but please bear with us, we are doing our best.

"We look forward to seeing you all soon, and thank you for your understanding, this is a challenging time for all."