Nurses will move into Horizons Cottages by the middle of August.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board has leased out the hotel for at least 12 months while a new residential facility is built for nursing staff.

The golf course at the former hotel property has already been closed but Splendido Bar & Restaurant will remain open.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman for the BHB confirmed that they are leasing approximately 40 rooms at the Paget property.

She added: "Rooms are currently being prepared for occupancy and we expect to place some staff on the premises by 15 August.

"A decision has been made, in the interests of safety and fiscal responsibility, to close the golf course prior to occupancy by BHB staff."

The Royal Gazette understands the golf course was closed to the public as of July 1.

However, the restaurant on the Paget property will remain open.

Angelo Buglione General Manager Splendido Bar & Restaurant said it was business as usual.

"We are not closing," he said. "In fact I have just launched a promotion for July and August. On Saturday's and Sunday's people can bring their own bottles of wine for lunch and dinner."

He added that they were not charging a corkage fee and the promotion ended on August 26th.

In May the BHB leased out 24 rooms at the Grape Bay Beach Hotel for the same purpose. The total number of hotel rooms that have now been leased to the BHB is 64.

The spokeswoman said they needed 80 rooms in total.

"This is due to Bermuda Hospitals Board's decision to restore the Queen Elizabeth Nursing Residence (QENR) into accommodation only, in order to meet its staff needs," she said. "The required upgrades mean the QENR building will be temporarily evacuated."

To know how this will impact the local golf community turn to Page 17.