Brownsword buys Gidleigh Park

Devon hotel Gidleigh Park has been sold to private hotel company, Bath Priory, for an undisclosed sum, it was revealed this week.

The 15-bedroom hotel and two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Chagford was bought by resident chef Michael Caines's business partner, Andrew Brownsword, on Monday.

Brownsword's company already owns the Bath Priory hotel and restaurant in Bath and Sydney House hotel in Chelsea, London. Sue Williams, general manager of the Bath Priory, will now oversee all three properties.

She gave her assurance that Caines would remain as head chef, the post he has held since 1994. "We will run Gidleigh Park in its present form until January 2006 and are planning a refurbishment then," she said.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 3 March 2005