One of Cornwall’s most iconic hotels has sold thanks to the hard work of three Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce members.
Chamber Patrons GA Solicitors, together with Lang Town & Country and Wolferstans Solicitors, have secured the sale of the 113-year-old Whitsand Bay Hotel for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
Located in the coastal village of Portwrinkle, this wonderful Grade II Listed building is just minutes from the beach and boasts a breath-taking cliff top location with stunning sea views.
The historic hotel boasts 32 bedrooms and has been a family-run business for more than a decade, after owners Chris and Jennifer Phillips fell in love with the property back in 2003.
The building and its substantial grounds have been purchased by the Matthews family as part of a significant development project.
The husband-and-wife team, supported by their three sons, hope to restore the hotel to its former glory, including spa facilities, gym, and swimming pool. There is also potential to add additional dwellings within the two-acre site.
The project is expected to require an investment in excess of £6 million and take around three years to complete. Split over three phases, the first stage will see the construction of three luxury homes, followed by the development of several other residential properties, before refurbishing the hotel in the third and final phase.
GA Solicitors’ commercial property department advised the new owners on all aspects of the property purchase and its various assets, including funding and refinancing.
It is hoped the redevelopment of the site will lead to the employment of at last 50 people, with a further 30 to 40 staff being required to run the hotel when it is up and running.
Tony Dupreez, partner of GA Solicitors and the commercial property solicitor who advised on the purchase, commented: “This site is of huge importance to the local area. Not only will it employ a local workforce, but the hotel will once again attract visitors from all over the country.
“With the beach and a high-quality golf course just minutes away, it certainly ticks a number of coveted boxes. I was delighted to support and work with Louisa and Terry on this project and will look forward to seeing the project unfold over the next three years.”
The site was marketed and the sale secured by Lang Town & Country’s Land & New Homes division.
James Clarke, Director at Lang Town & Country, said: “Our Land & New Homes team has been working with the family-owned Whitsand Bay Hotel for some time. It was a complex site with a variety of development opportunities within the grounds.
“Whitsand Bay Hotel really is a special location next to the local golf club and looking out over Portwrinkle beach in South East Cornwall.
“The sale itself was one of the toughest in my career to get over the line. We were very lucky to have two excellent solicitors in Pippa Tanner-Wood, from Wolferstans, and Tony Dupreez, from GA Solicitors, who communicated brilliantly to make this deal happen.
“The new owners have some truly exciting plans for the site and we look forward to watching this develop in due course.”
New owner, Louisa Matthews added: “It has taken some time to get to this point and we are very excited to now be able to take this project forward.
“Although the hotel has planning permission to become apartments, we really wanted to maintain its heritage and integrity, instead choosing to refurbish the building and bring it back to its former glory.
“My husband and I, along with our three sons, will oversee all aspects of this development and will strive to deliver a high-quality site which makes the most of its breath-taking location.”
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