Kettlewell youth hostel acquired by family embarking on new hospitality venture

A youth hostel in Kettlewell, a village in the Yorkshire Dales, has been purchased by a local family who are embarking on a new venture in the hospitality industry.

The youth hostel, which has been a retreat for Yorkshire Dales visitors for over seven decades, was sold to Saul Ward and his wife Floss in a deal orchestrated by leading estate agent Dacre, Son & Hartley.

The Property, known as Whernside House, will still run as a Youth Hostel and provides eight guest rooms along with with 41 beds, dining, catering and relaxation areas, a manager’s cottage, integral staff accommodation, and also houses the village Post Office.

This sale was part of The Youth Hostel Association’s scheme to sell many of its 138 properties to generate revenue to invest in other sites.

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: “Kettlewell Youth Hostel is extremely well known and has been a popular spot with outdoor enthusiasts for generations. As soon as we launched the marketing campaign, we were inundated with enquiries and we’re delighted to complete this deal within a matter of months. It was immediately apparent that Saul and Floss were well-suited to the property and were keen to continue running both the Youth Hostel and its Post Office in their current guise, which made them ideal buyers.”

Saul Ward added: “Within a matter of months we had sold our house in Harrogate, secured a mortgage and have just moved in. We hit the ground running, with 20 guests arriving on our first night, and we’re now in the process of refurbishing our main dining room so we can expand our food menu. We have also introduced a range of tasty packed lunch options for guests heading into the Dales for the day and we’ll be making several other improvements over the coming months.

“Although it has seemed daunting at times, it’s certainly worth it because I can’t think of anywhere more perfect to live and work than Kettlewell.”