Wroxton House sold to Shepherd Cox

The Best Western Plus Wroxton House hotel has been purchased by Shepherd Cox off a guide price of £3.5m.

The UK-based hospitality investment business has acquired the four-AA-star, 32-bedroom hotel from ESA Leisure, which has owned the Grade II-listed property in Banbury, Oxfordshire since 2008.

The thatched manor house hotel, which dates back to 1654, has a two-AA-rosette fine dining restaurant, public areas and a banqueting suite.

ESA Leisure director John Smith said he was confident Shepherd Cox would "take the business from strength to strength and build upon the success we have already established".

Nick Carlile, a founder of Shepherd Cox, added: "Wroxton House is a popular, high quality establishment which will undoubtedly prove to be a key part of our ongoing success and future expansion plans."

Simon Stevens, a director within property consultancy firm Lambert Smith Hampton's specialist hotel consultancy division, which handled the sale, described Wroxton House as "an exceptionally well-managed, maintained and profitable business in a delightful location".

He added: "It attracted a great deal of interest which ultimately allowed our client to select a preferred bidder who not only agreed to meet their price expectations, but also gave them confidence on deal delivery."

Historic Oxfordshire hotel sold off £2.5m guide price >>

Best Western divides hotels into three brands >>

Videos from The Caterer archives

Are you looking for a new role? See all the current hospitality vacancies available with The Caterer Jobs