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Former Michelin-star chef Chris Staines has partnered up with the former assistant GM of the The Pig Hotel to purchase a Grade II listed country town hotel in Dorset.
Staines, who spent the last five years as executive chef at the Abbey Hotel in Bath, has joined forces with Silvana Bandini to acquire the Bridge House Hotel in Beaminster off a guide price of £1.25m.
Originally a clergy house and dating back to the 13th century, the venue boasts a 50-cover dining room, a bar and restaurant with capacity for 30 covers each, alongside 14 ensuite guest bedrooms.
Previous owners, Mark and Jo Donovan owned and operated The Bridge House for the past 14 years, have decided to move on to pursue new ventures.
Staines and Bandini said: “We are delighted to have found the Bridge House Hotel – it is the perfect first venture for us and we are extremely excited to be taking it on.
“We are going to be making some significant changes over the next few months, moving away from the formality of a hotel towards a ‘restaurant with rooms’ concept, and are planning a re-launch closer to the summer.”
Matthew Smith, director at Christie and Co’s Bristol office added: “The business attracted interest from a variety of buyers and we are thrilled to announce the sale. This is an exciting time for everyone involved in The Bridge House Hotel and we welcome Chris and Silvana, who have a great vision and skill, as they embark on a new phase for the business.”
