Cumbrian livestock auctioneer buys two hotels worth £2m-plus

Cumbrian livestock auctioneer Hopes Auction Mart of Wigton has moved into the hotel market with the acquisition of two properties in the north-west of the region worth a combined £2m-plus.

Its first purchase was the Golf hotel, a Victorian promenade property at Silloth-on-Solway, which offers 22 en-suite bedrooms, an 80-seat bar lounge, a 40-seat dining room, two function rooms to accommodate 24 and 120 guests, a residents' lounge and a games room.

It comes complete with a two-bedroom owners' house and three one-bedroom staff flats.

Previous owners Fausto and Christine Previtali will continue to manage the Golf hotel in tandem with Hopes Auction's second acquisition, the Greenhill hotel at Red Dial near Wigton.

This function- and weddings-led hotel set in 8.5 acres of parkland has 12 en-suite bedrooms, a lounge bar, an L-shaped bar, a 50-seat dining room and an en-suite bedroom for staff.

Along with the self-contained function suite that will seat 350, the hotel also has a library meeting room and a conservatory lounge/meeting room while the Cellar bar - which has three seating areas and a small dance floor - doubles as a function room.

The Manchester office of Colliers Robert Barry sold the Golf hotel and the Greenhill hotel off asking prices of £795,000 and £1.25m respectively.

By Angela Frewin