WHEN Jimmy Page and Sylvia Woodrow decided to get married, the venue was an easy choice.

Having met at the Wherry Hotel in Oulton Broad, the couple from Carlton Colville felt it was the perfect location for their big day and duly booked it for their 'dream wedding' and reception.

But they have been feeling 'distraught' and 'bewildered' after the hotel's owner, Anglia Restaurants, forced them to postpone their wedding – and then cancel their hotel wedding plans - prompting them to move it to a new venue.

Offshore worker Jimmy, 53, and Sylvia met at The Wherry four years ago and, having agreed to tie the knot, they opted to marry at the hotel and booked their wedding for November 11 last year. However, they were later told it would have to be rearranged because of a delay over major refurbishment work at the hotel.

The couple agreed to postpone their wedding at the hotel until the romantic date of February 14 – Valentine's Day – next year, even though this meant that Sylvia's son, Richard Woodrow, would not be able to give her away as originally planned because he would be on operations on board HMS Bulwark.

The postponement also meant that Sylvia's grandson, Richard's son Harry, would not be able to be a page boy as he could not leave Portsmouth while his father was away with the Navy.

Having re-planned everything for the new date, Jimmy and Sylvia were then dealt another blow when they were informed last month by Norwich-based Anglia Restaurants that their wedding would have to be cancelled because the refurbishment work was being pushed back again.

This meant they were left urgently seeking a new wedding venue, before settling upon the Hotel Victoria.

However, the couple, of Famona Road, Carlton Colville, will have to pay more for their ceremony and reception.

Anglia Restaurants has now apologised and even thoguh it originally offered �50 compensation it has agreed to cover any extra expenses, as well as offering to reprint the invitations but Jimmy and Sylvia say they feel very bitter about the way they were treated.

Jimmy said: 'It left Sylvia distraught, bewildered and in total disbelief that this had happened for the second time.'

Sylvia added: 'After the November wedding was postponed, we should never have stayed loyal to The Wherry. It should have been dream wedding, with my son there to give me away. I think we have been treated very badly.'

In June, The Journal reported that permission had finally been granted for a �2m single storey extension to the Wherry Hotel, which will add 13 bedrooms. Its restaurant, bar areas and function room will also be refurbished.

Anglia Restaurants' plans had been delayed after the Broads Society complained about the proposed design of the extension, and neighbours raised concerns about over traffic, parking and drainage issues.

As a result, other couples were also forced to rearrange their wedding plans at The Wherry.

In response to Jimmy and Sylvia's criticisms, an Anglia Restaurants spokesman said: 'We are very sorry to have had to cancel Sylvia Woodrow's wedding reservation with us. We have explained the reasons to her and offered our sincere apologies. We have found her an alternative venue and offered to cover any expenses she has incurred.'