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Cartmel Old Grammar Country House, a hotel and wedding venue in Cumbria, has been acquired by an established restaurateur couple for an undisclosed sum.
The Grade II-listed house dates back to 1790, when it was first used as the school room and dormitory of the former Grammar School.
Over the years, the property has had many uses, including as a private residence, an adventure centre for Cartmel Boys Scouts, and as The Grammar Hotel.
An extensive renovation by the previous owners – professor Eunice Taylor – saw the property get restored “to its former glory and tastefully modernised” into a hotel and wedding venue, set within idyllic grounds.
The hotel comprises 12 individually-styled ensuite bedrooms, as well as an entrance hall, bar, ceremony room seating 60 people, and dining hall/function space for 100 people.
It is also located in close proximity to the centre of Cartmel, a village known for its racecourse, sticky toffee pudding, a 1,000-year-old Priory and Michelin-starred restaurants including L’Enclume. The village benefits from many tourists throughout the year.
While the venue has most recently been run exclusively as a wedding venue, the new owners – Lauren and Greg Foggo – will reopen the hotel operation to offer boutique accommodation in addition to a wedding venue.
The couple also plan to add two further ground floor bedrooms to create accommodation for guests with accessibility needs or those wishing to bring pets.
Lauren Foggo said: “We were so excited when we visited Cartmel Old Grammar – it was everything we were looking for, a beautiful property in a wonderful location. We are looking forward to offering a bespoke and personal service for weddings and operating as a luxury hotel in this superb setting, with excellent food and accommodation.”
Greg Foggo added: “We love working in the hospitality sector and we pride ourselves in creating special experiences for all our guests. We are looking forward to receiving our first guests at Cartmel Old Grammar in the New Year and have already received a number of enquiries for both accommodation and weddings.”
