Seaton Carew hotel to cut links with 'canoe conman' John Darwin's name

A hotel in Seaton Carew is getting a rebrand to remove links to 'canoe conman' John Darwin.

The Staincliffe Hotel, which was taken over by new owners in November 2021, is on the seafront of the resort and close to John and Anne Darwin's former home.

A sign outside the hotel advertises fine dining in the 'Darwin Room', but hotel staff are assuring that won't be the case for much longer.

The pair shot to fame in 2007, after John disappeared in a canoe off the coast near Hartlepool and was thought to be dead, only for him to reappear at a London police station five years later claiming to be a missing person.

Their outrageous story has now been turned into a four-part ITV drama, called The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which has once again brought the case to the public's interest - and drawn attention to Seaton Carew.

General Manager Lisa McParland, who joined the Staincliffe Hotel with the new owners in November, wanted to distance the venue from the convicted fraudster.

She said: "I don't know why they named [the room] after him."

"We don’t want to glorify crime and we want to distance ourselves from that."

Until recently, visitors would also be able to go to the 'Canoe Room', which has now been revamped into a new sports bar.

The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which has been airing over four nights, is available on the ITV Hub.