SPECIALIST business property adviser, Christie & Co, is delighted to announce the sale of Churchill Inn, in the South Lakeland town of Ambleside in Cumbria, to The Inn Collection Group.
Churchill Inn is a coaching Inn with 18 en suite guest rooms that sits in a five-storey detached property dating back to circa 1854. To the rear of the property there is also a separate cottage comprising a manager’s flat and an eight-bed holiday apartment. The business has historically provided strong profits, with good growth levels over recent years.
The business sits in the village of Ambleside, a honeypot location in the heart of the Lake District National Park, which is renowned for its local attractions and numerous walks. The village is ideally situated for tourists and marks the head of Windemere, England’s largest natural lake.
The Inn has been run for the last 24 years by brothers Mr Mark and Mr Craig Routledge and their families, who have decided to sell to pursue retirement. Mr Mark Routledge comments, “After almost 25 years of ownership it was the right for time for our two families to retire. We hope The Inn Collection Group enjoy it as much as we have over the years. We would like to thank Christie & Co, and especially Tom O’Malley, for their help during this emotional process.”
Churchill Inn has been purchased by The Inn Collection Group.
The Churchill Inn will be closed temporarily before trading independently until the start of a major redevelopment there, which is set to take place later this year, to bring the site into the group’s ‘eat, drink, sleep and explore’ brand.
The Inn Collection Group’s managing director Sean Donkin said: “We are delighted to have added a second Ambleside site to our estate. We’re looking forward to unlocking the venue’s full potential and investing in what will be a valuable new addition for locals and visitors to the Lake District here in Ambleside as we continue to grow our customer base and group foothold across the north of England.”
The group’s second Ambleside venue, The Ambleside Inn opened in December following a major refurbishment, while the group’s 42-bedroom The Coniston Inn in Coniston opened on 1 August, following an 18-month redevelopment.
Elsewhere, the group’s trading portfolio includes sites in Northumberland, County Durham and Yorkshire with a 40-bed new build development currently under construction on Sunderland’s seafront.
The Alchemy-backed The Inn Collection Group – which is supported through banking by OakNorth – is continuing to push ahead with its strategic ‘buy and build’ expansion across the north of England to more than double its portfolio within the next two years.
The Inn Collection Group were advised by Newcastle-based law firm Ward Hadaway on the transactions, with Bradley Hall on pre-acquisition diligence.
Tom O’Malley, Senior Business Agent at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, comments, “It’s not often that something of this size comes to the market in this desirable part of the Lake District, so it was a pleasure to act for brothers Craig and Mark and their families. After taking it to the market confidentially, and after several interested parties, I believe that The Inn Collection Group have the right vision to unlock its full potential and wish them all the success.”
Churchill Inn was sold at an undisclosed price.
