Legacy Hotels takes over Great Hallingbury Manor

Working with property agent Christie + Co, Legacy intends to regain the hotel’s reputation as a leading wedding, conference and banqueting venue before finding a new owner for the property.

The 29-bedroom, four-star hotel, which has experienced a “challenging couple of years”, has an additional 18 bedrooms that are currently not traded, although Jeremy Jones of Christie + Co believes a small investment could bring the property up to 47 bedrooms.

“We expect to find a new owner who will see the value and opportunity in this business and appreciate the investment made in it,” he said.

Legacy, who at the end of last year took over and turned around the 23-bedroom Llangoed Hall Hotel in the Brecon Beacons before handing it over to Von Essen Hotels, operates 34 properties across the UK and Spain.

The group’s chief executive Andy Townsend and finance director Jim Gordon have also been appointed as directors of Great Hallingbury Events Limited as part of the on-going operation of the venue.

Townsend said: “Our aim is to maintain its revival and drive the business commercially by adding our management expertise to a great hotel which is in an ideal country location but has the benefit of being in close proximity to Stansted Airport and the M11.

“There is no doubt this is a good business which attracts local weddings, corporate and conference business and we want to build it up again.”