Four months after being advertised for sale for £8m, The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon, has new owners.
A statement on the hotel website said they were “thrilled to be joining Chestnut, a collection of pubs and inns across East Anglia. Chestnut are passionate about their people and local community, provenance, and place”.
Philip Turner, founder and managing director of Chestnut says, “Thanks to the hard work, love and attention John and Julia have put into The Old Bridge we don’t plan on changing a winning formula.”
The purchase price has not been revealed.
John and Julia Hoskins said they had decided to sell The Old Bridge Hotel and Wine Shop because they wanted to leave “while it is on a high, and while we still have the energy for everything else, we want to do in the rest of our lives”.
Mr Hoskins said this week: “I cannot imagine an organisation better suited to maintain the spirit and success of The Old Bridge than Chestnut.
“Meeting Philip and his team has reassured me that they are the right people to whom we should pass on this much-loved institution, which we have been privileged to run for so long.
“The future looks very bright for both our team and our guests.”
“We would like to thank all of our loyal guests for your support over the past decades and look forward to seeing The Old Bridge and the team flourish for many years to come.”
He added: “All existing room bookings, table reservations and events remain unchanged, and we look forward to welcoming you as usual.”
Mr Turner said: “It’s a real honour to be buying The Old Bridge, a place with a strong reputation that has set standards for hospitality over the last five decades.
“Thanks to the hard work, love and attention John and Julia have put into The Old Bridge we don’t plan on changing a winning formula.
“The team and the ambience of the building already have a strong ‘Chestnut’ feel, so we know our values and approach are consistent. As always, over time we will bring in new investment, ideas, and energy to grow the business in line with our Chestnut ambitions, in the meantime the obvious passion and expertise of The Old Bridge team will ensure a seamless transition.
“This deal includes Old Bridge Wines, a very well-respected retail wine shop, driven by John’s passion as a Master of Wine. Following our recent acquisition of the wholesaler Peter Graham Wines (PGW), we can accelerate our plans to develop a retail offering across the region, starting with Chestnut’s fast-growing database.”
