Barnsley House hotel owners buy Bibury inn

The owners of the Barnsley House boutique hotel near Cirencester have acquired the leasehold on the Catherine Wheel pub-restaurant in nearby Bibury, Gloucestershire.

The 15th century inn, built from traditional Cotswold stone, is on the outskirts of the village which is near Cheltenham, Bath, Oxford and Stratford upon Avon. The property was once described by artist William Morris as "the most beautiful in England."

The property also provides a second-floor bedroom and first-floor suite of two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Outside is a beer garden that can seat another 75 customers and parking for 20 cars.

The new owners plan to upgrade the pub in a similar manner to The Village Pub they run in Barnsley, which offers high-quality British food and bedrooms decorated by interior designer Rupert Charles-Jones.

Colliers CRE sold the free-of-tie lease off an asking price of £180,000 on behalf of Marston's (formerly Wolverhampton & Dudley). The lease runs for 20 years from 9 March, 1992, and annual rent is set at £57,750.

By Angela Frewin