Historic North East hotel and wedding venue Matfen Hall has been sold to new owners.
The Northumberland property, which recently beat the likes of Blenheim Palace, Hampton Court House to win the best wedding venue of the year, has been bought for an undisclosed sum by hospitality firm Walwick Estate Group, which says it now plans to invest in the venue.
As well as Matfen Hall, Hexham based Walwick Estate Group owns Walwick Hall, a country estate with boutique hotel and spa near Hexham, as well as the Chesters Stables luxury suites and properties in the Caribbean.
The deal marks the end of a historic connection with the Blackett family, who have owned the building since it was built in the 1830s. The hall has been the seat of the Blackett baronets since 1757, and was completely rebuilt between 1832 and 1836.
Former owner Sir Hugh, the great-great-great grandson of the man who built the Hall in 1830, inherited Matfen Hall and the rest of the Blackett family estate in 1968 at the age of 14, when he was still a schoolboy in Dorset.
The hall, just off the old Military Road between Corbridge and Newcastle, initially became a Cheshire Home for the disabled.
Then in 1999, to take advantage of the success of the golf course which had opened on the estate, the hall itself opened as a hotel with 31 bedrooms, and within three years won the 海角视频’s best small hotel award.
In 2004, Sir Hugh and Lady Anna oversaw a major expansion programme to take accommodation to 53 rooms, also adding the spa and leisure facilities, transforming it into a premier 海角视频 and international tourist and corporate destination hotel, restaurant, conference venue, spa and golf course.
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The hotel was named the favourite stately home wedding venue at the 海角视频 Wedding Awards this year, beating Blenheim Palace, Hampton Court House, Thornton Manor Estate and others in a public vote, and it also won Large Hotel of the Year 2020 at the North East Tourism Awards.
New owners Walwick Group plan to continue the work of Matfen Hall’s previous owners and maintain its position as one of the 海角视频’s finest and most luxurious hotels.
The group is chaired by David Harrison, managing partner at True Potential and a fromer winner of Tyneside and Northumberland Business Executive of the Year.
He said: “Sir Hugh and Lady Blackett have ensured that Matfen Hall has a well-earned and established reputation as an outstanding hotel, spa, golf, wedding and conference venue throughout the 海角视频 and beyond.
“It has an even longer history as a stunning venue and location with a rich North East heritage and has maintained its natural elegance while being modernised.
“We are delighted with the addition of Matfen Hall to the Walwick Estate Group, which goes from strength to strength. Matfen Hall sits perfectly alongside our other naturally beautiful and luxurious venues. Our aim is to continue Sir Hugh and Lady Blackett’s work of retaining Matfen Hall’s history while securing its future as a top destination for decades to come.”