‘New chapter’ for historic Sunderland building

A historic Grade II-listed building in Sunderland is set for a new lease of life following a legal agreement enabling its transformation into a public house, restaurant and office space.

Swinburne Maddison LLP advised Philip and Valerie Gibbs after they purchased Lambton House as an investment in 2010 as trustees of their family trust Arrow Commercial.

Following the surrender of a previous lease by Sunderland City Council in 2023, Arrow Commercial embarked on a refurbishment programme, securing planning approval last September. 

The ground floor will now house a bar and restaurant, operated by The Bridge Hotel Vaults and MPC Sunderland, while the upper floors will offer office space for rent.  

Philip said: “Lambton House is a perfect demonstration of how we operate as a business. 

“When we saw this building, we were determined to bring it back to a full and useful commercial life and at the same time, create new jobs, so I was delighted when our plans were approved.

“Lambton House is embarking on an exciting new chapter in its history, and we are looking forward to seeing how it develops.” 

Diane Hall, associate solicitor in Swinburne Maddison’s commercial property team, added: “Given the age of the building, which dates back to 1797 when it was built as a house for the Lambton family, this has been a particularly interesting project to work on.”

Steven Smith, director of Vaux Brewery and The Bridge Hotel Vaults, added: “The Bridge Hotel Vaults is an historic pub and provides an opportunity for us to build on the strong links the brewery has in Sunderland.”

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