Dartmouth hotel buys pub next door

The privately-owned Dart Marina hotel in Coombe Road, Dartmouth, has bought the 17th century inn and restaurant next door.

The 49-bedroom hotel (once part of Macdonald Hotels) acquired the lease on the Floating Bridge Inn off an asking price of £250,000.

The waterfront inn is popular with local sailors and families as well as tourists and daytrippers.

It can seat 126 customers inside across three separate bar areas and a restaurant, and another 100 outside on the ground and on the roof terrace which commands views over the River Dart estuary.

The property also incorporates three-bedroom owners' accommodation.

It's a busy time for the hotel which has unveiled 11 self-catering apartments this month and opens its new restaurant, the 50-seat Wilde Fire Bistro, tonight.

The Exeter office of Christie + Co sold the inn on behalf of Jim Brent, who has run it for the past three years.

By Angela Frewin