Steady stream of Brook hotels

Marston Farm Hotel at Sutton Coldfield has been bought by Brook Hotels as part of an expansion plan to more than double the size of the company over the next two years.

The 37-bedroom freehold property is believed to have fetched close to £1.1m. Agent in the sale was Knight Frank & Rutley acting for Wimpole Hotels, a company set up during the recession by receivers Grant Thornton.

Brook's portfolio already includes the Whipper-in at Oakham, Leicestershire, the Red Lion in Colchester, Essex - which was bought this August - and the Royal Oak in Sevenoaks, Kent, along with three managed properties.

"In the next 18 months to two years we want to get to 10 hotels. We are looking for provincial hotels in England of at least 35 bedrooms," said Umesh Ummat, managing director of Brook Hotels.

He said the acquisitions would be three-star hotels, like all other Brook properties.