Press Releases
A couple purchase a small country hotel in South Somerset, with the help of Christie Finance
The Bristol Office of independent mortgage brokers, Christie Finance, has assisted Andrew Chantrell and Kelly Hobbs to purchase a 19th Century Victorian hotel in Lydford on Fosse, near Somerton in South Somerset.
Lydford House Hotel occupies an excellent roadside position on the main A37 Weymouth to Bath Road and was originally built in 1860 as a gentleman’s residence, later becoming a vicarage. It became a hotel in 1920 and was run as a successful country club in the 1960s. The hotel now has an AA 5 Star rating and currently trades as a small country hotel, but also has an antique business, which is operated from a showroom located within the property. Open all year round, the hotel comprises six letting bedrooms, a dining hall and a guest lounge, with a large lawn to the rear, which could be suitable to erect a marquee. There is also two-bedroom private accommodation.
New owners, Andrew and Kelly, have both worked at Ston Eastern Park Hotel; Kelly as the event co-ordinator and Andrew as the general manager, before deciding to go it alone and run their own hotel business. As Lydford House has not been traded to its full potential, they are planning to utilise their previous experience and new ideas to drive the business forward. They plan change the name to The Brue at Lydford and will advertise it as a hotel and restaurant, serving breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and will open it to non residents.
Other changes to the business include; the conversion of the dining hall into a lounge bar and the antiques showroom into a 50-cover restaurant, as well as fitting out a commercial kitchen and wash up area. They also want to introduce in house events, such as workshops and floral demonstrations, wine tasting, theme nights and music events.
Evan Morgan, finance consultant from Christie Finance, who provided the funding for the purchasers, commented; “It has been a pleasure dealing with Andrew and Kelly and we have secured specialist finance on their behalf to help them start out on their own. I look forward to assisting them again at some point in the future.”
For further information please contact Evan Morgan in the Bristol of Christie Finance on 0117 946 8500.
Our Ref: CFbri981
