Chestnut, East Anglia’s fastest-growing hospitality company, has announced the acquisition of The Old Bridge in Huntingdon.
The iconic inn, which has been owned and run by John and Julia Hoskins since 1994, has been one of the area’s leading hospitality destinations for over 50 years, offering 24 boutique bedrooms within a relaxed and busy coaching inn. The Old Bridge sits on the banks of The River Great Ouse, expanding the group’s footprint further to the West and brings the Chestnut brand closer to many of its existing guests.
“It’s a real honour to be buying The Old Bridge, a place with a strong reputation that has set standards for hospitality over the last five decades,” said Philip Turner, Founder and Managing Director of Chestnut.
“Thanks to the hard work, love and attention John and Julia have put into The Old Bridge we don’t plan on changing a winning formula. The team and the ambience of the building already have a strong ‘Chestnut’ feel, so we know our values and approach are consistent. As always, over time we will bring in new investment, ideas and energy to grow the business in line with our Chestnut ambitions, in the meantime the obvious passion and expertise of The Old Bridge team will ensure a seamless transition.
“This deal includes Old Bridge Wines, a very well-respected retail wine shop, driven by John’s passion as a Master of Wine. Following our recent acquisition of the wholesaler Peter Graham Wines (PGW), we can accelerate our plans to develop a retail offering across the region, starting with Chestnut’s fast-growing database.”
Ryan Lynn, Partner at Knight Frank, who handled the sale on behalf of the vendor said: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with both John and Philip throughout the process and couldn’t speak more highly of the professionalism of all parties involved. We are excited to see how the business grows over the coming years.”