UK: Business property adviser Christie & Co is marketing three hotels in the north of England, located in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Northumberland.
On behalf of Wildsmith Hotels, Christie & Co is marketing Hipping Hall, a fine dining restaurant with 15 rooms in Kirkby Lonsdale, Lancashire.
The 15th Century property is set with four acres of gardens with its accommodation spread across three buildings: the main house, a cottage and recently completed stable rooms.
Current owner Andrew Wildsmith purchased Hipping Hall in 2005. He has decided to sell the business in order to focus on his Michelin-star restaurant, The Forest Side.
Wildsmith said: “It has been an absolute pleasure bringing guests to this beautiful part of the world over the last two decades and providing them with first-class hospitality. Hipping Hall still holds so much potential, and I look forward to seeing what’s next for this magnificent building.”
Joel Osbourne, broker at Christie & Co, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a new owner to acquire a unique property in an idyllic setting, with the potential to take the current business forward or introduce a new concept. There is also a parcel of land, available by separate negotiation, which offers scope for development, subject to the necessary planning permissions.”
Hipping Hall is being marketed at £3 million.
The Gomersal Park Hotel & Spa in West Yorkshire was once owned by Leeds United footballer John Charles. It has since been expanded to include 89 bedrooms and operates as a wedding venue.
Current owner Michael Downs built the hotel’s Dream Spa in 2015. It features a swimming pool, sauna, mud Rasul steam room, an open-air spa bath, a nail bar and eight treatment rooms. Combined with the gym, it accounts for over 30 per cent of hotel turnover.
Downs said: “I am very proud of the hotel, its staff and its reputation as one of the main venues in the region. The addition of the Dream Spa has not only helped to offer something special for our guests and members but has also made a huge difference to trade and profits. I am a reluctant seller but the time has come for me to step away from the business, which offers a new owner a very good opportunity with great profits as well as excellent forward bookings for weddings, functions and room income.”
Mark Worley, hotel director at Christie & Co, said: “It is rare that a hotel of this magnitude comes to the open market and so we are excited to offer Gomersal Park for sale. The massive population hub in which it sits, its proximity to the road and rail network, as well as Leeds Bradford Airport, plus the excellent levels of trade, make this a great purchase for a hotel or hospitality group.”
The freehold of the Gomersal is being offered at £5.5 million.
Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant in Wark, south-west Northumberland, has had its asking price reduced to £2.1 million. The property offers 22 bedrooms including five luxury lodges, a restaurant, bar, dining conservatory and beer garden. It also utilises several eco-features which have been incorporated throughout the building and grounds.
Current co-owner Richard Slade said: “Dee and I are always looking at new ways to save energy and running costs and maintain our lowest possible carbon footprint without compromising on our product, customer service, or guest experience. The things we have in place now, such as the electric charging points in the car park, our green on-site laundry, the biomass boiler and our huge solar panel, are things which a new owner will greatly benefit from and will help to save them money in the near to long-term.”
Worley added: “Undoubtedly the biggest challenge facing hotel operators at present, indeed facing all business owners, is increased operating costs, particularly those relating to heating, lighting, and consumables. As well as being a highly regarded and popular business, Battlesteads is also a very efficient, self-sustaining, and innovative business powered by solar energy and a biomass boiler. Much of the produce used within the hotel’s kitchen – including fruit, vegetables, and herbs – is grown on-site. All of this helps massively when it comes to cutting costs and generating excellent profits, making this an excellent opportunity for a new owner.”
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