Crazy Bear has fallen into administration for the second time in less than two years, and both of its hotels, in Stadhampton and Beaconsfield, have closed. BDO partners Kiri Holland and Danny Dartnaill were appointed joint administrators on 27 October, and all bookings and reservations have been cancelled, according to trade and regional reports.
Crazy Bear was founded by Jason Hunt in 1993. It entered administration in December 2024 and was bought in a pre-pack deal by its directors for £6.5 million, with executive director Richard Booth and managing director Tom Etridge acquiring the business in January 2025, according to The Caterer, a management buyout rather than the resale route used across the leisure franchises in the UK.
Companies House listings show Etridge resigned as a director of the parent companies in September 2025. The administrators were appointed to CB Opportunities 3 Ltd and CB Opportunities 4 Ltd, which stand behind the two hotels.
What the administrators have said
The joint administrators said the closures have resulted in the cancellation of all event bookings and room, spa and restaurant reservations, and that gift vouchers bought directly from the hotels or through third parties are no longer valid. They said they will contact affected customers with further information.
The Bucks Free Press reported that some deposits for bookings and events were held in a ring-fenced account and that unused portions will be returned where applicable. Customers who paid part of a booking by card were referred to their card issuer or payment provider to see whether a refund or chargeback is available, with others directed towards submitting an unsecured claim.
What an administration appointment means
Administrators take over the management of a company’s affairs, business and property from its directors. The Crazy Bear statement says the affairs of both companies are now managed by the joint administrators. Whether the hotels are sold, reopened or wound up is for the administrators to decide, and none of these has been announced.
The timing of the closure
The administration came 10 days after the 35-bedroom Beaconsfield hotel opened Fable, a new restaurant led by head chef Pete Gray, on 17 October, an investment carried by the company itself rather than by an operator, as happens across the restaurant franchises in the UK. The Bucks Free Press recorded general manager Shane Turner-Hill saying at the opening that “Fable demonstrates where Crazy Bear goes next”.
It followed a refurbished pool and terrace in July, The Studio karaoke room in August and a private dining room called The Cabin. Boutique Hotelier reports that the opening of Fable followed the closure of the Bear by Carlo Scotto chef’s table, a 14-cover restaurant that launched in November 2025.
Staff and what is not yet known
Boutique Hotelier said unverified online reports suggest all staff at the hotels have lost their jobs, a claim the administrators had not confirmed in the coverage reviewed. No source gives a staff count, a creditor figure or the cause of the administration, and Propel noted that the group was acquired through a restructuring at the start of 2025, the kind of history worth tracing before buying into any brand, as listed across the UK franchise directory.
