Flat Cap Hotels buys the Vicarage

Cheshire-based Flat Cap Hotels has bought the Vicarage hotel in Cranage for an undisclosed sum, having operated the property since 2015.

There are plans for further investment into the Vicarage in the New Year including enhancements to the outdoor areas and terraces as well as adding more bedrooms and suites.

A spokesperson for Flat Cap Hotels said: "The Vicarage is an important piece of local architecture, steeped in local history. We are thrilled to be in a position to preserve and maintain it for years to come."

The 17th century, Grade-II listed former vicarage had been closed for the five years prior to the group moving in as tenants in 2015. The 20-bedroom property reopened in 2016 following an extensive renovation.

Flat Cap Hotels’ portfolio also includes the Bridge at Prestbury and the Courthouse in Knutsford, which is set to reopen for the Christmas season. The group recently underwent a “significant restructuring” and its teams across the Vicarage and the Bridge won the 2021 Hotel Catey Award for Hotel Restaurant Team of the Year earlier this month.

Flat Cap Hotels was founded in 2015 by brothers and third-generation hoteliers Oliver and Dominic Heywood (also an Acorn Award winner). All hotels are food-led destinations and have historical significance.