Martin Blake named head chef at the Royal Crescent Hotel

Martin Blake has been appointed head chef at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath.

He will lead the team to develop a new menu for the hotel's Dower house Restaurant, which will include a range of classic British dishes and an afternoon tea offer.

Dower House is due to undergo a refurbishment in spring, which is expected to be completed by summer.

Blake has more than 12 years' experience working in hospitality across the south-west, including roles as head chef at the Manor House in Chippenham, sous chef at Homewood Hotel & Spa near Bath, and chef de partie at the Bath Priory.

Lorraine Jarvie, general manager at the Royal Crescent, said: "I very much look forward to working with [Martin] and to see how we can take the Dower House restaurant and its menu in a new direction, while being at the forefront of sustainability and maintaining our relationships with local suppliers."

Blake added: "I am absolutely thrilled to be welcomed onboard the team at such an iconic hotel. I'm looking forward to working closely with my team to create some show-stopping dishes while continuing to maintain a five-star service and deliver an unrivalled experience for our loyal guests."

The hotel is located within the 250-year-old Grade I-listed Royal Crescent row of houses in Bath and features 45 bedrooms and an acre of landscaped gardens.