Historic North East hotel set for £2m transformation into “enchanting” wedding venue

An historic North East hotel is set for a £2m upgrade after becoming the latest addition to The Apartment Group’s growing portfolio of “unique” wedding venues.

The 24-bedroom, Grade II listed Croft Hotel at Croft-on-Tees has been acquired by the Newcastle headquartered leisure operator for an undisclosed sum.

Work is set to start imminently on the addition of six new bedrooms, the creation of a new “enchanting” Chapel, an extensive transformation of the function suite and a range of other improvements across the hotel’s restaurant, wellness facilities and gardens, with the expanded venue expected to be ready to host weddings and events this summer.

Up to 30 new jobs are expected to be created as part of the upgrade, with the hotel’s existing team all staying in post. And The Apartment Group is already looking at its next wedding venue acquisition, with plans in place for future expansion into Yorkshire and along the M62 corridor.

The Croft Hotel acquisition has been supported through funding from London Stock Exchange-listed investment fund, Develop North PLC, which is managed by Newcastle based wealth and fund management specialist, Tier One Capital.

Newcastle based law firm Ward Hardaway, led by Rosemary Moore, provided legal advice to Develop North PLC, while Julie Cuthbertson and Michael Cantwell of RMT Accountants & Business Advisors and John Morgan and Jennifer Boynton at Hay & Kilner advised The Apartment Group management team on the deal.

Originally built in the early 19th century as a spa hotel for visitors taking the sulphurous local mineral waters and designed by Durham Cathedral architect Ignatius Bonomi, The Croft Hotel overlooks the River Tees and sits four miles south of Darlington, close to the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Apartment Group owns a growing number of unique wedding venues around the North East, including Newton Hall near Alnwick, Le Petit Chateau in Northumberland and the Grade II listed Whitworth Hall in County Durham, and opened its latest property, Runa Farm in Barnard Castle, last year.

Apartment Group founder Duncan Fisher commented: “Over 100 years ago, people travelled from all over Europe to enjoy the luxurious services and healing properties of the Croft Hotel & Natural Spa waters, and we want to reinstate this enviable reputation.

“The investment and development programme that’s now underway will put its facilities on a par with all our other locations sister hotels. We can’t wait to share our vision with our first wedding parties taking place this summer, especially the reveal of the new Enchanted wedding Chapel which is going to be spectacularly romantic!”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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