28 jobs saved as hotel sold
The Premier Inn Chesterfield West hotel and Highwayman Beefeater Restaurant, on the edge of the Peak District National Park, has been bought by the Devonshire Group, securing the site’s future.
The group has acquired the site for an undisclosed sum and says it will focus on “protecting and growing”.
Located in Eastmoor just off the A619, the hotel currently includes 25 rooms alongside a Beefeater restaurant, and employs 28 staff. The Devonshire Group will enter a period of planning to “bring forward a new vision” for the site. In the meantime, the restaurant and hotel will retain the name The Highwayman. All existing staff at the site will continue in their employment at the hotel and restaurant under the Devonshire Group’s ownership.
The Devonshire Group oversees a collection of hotels, restaurants and holiday cottages across the Chatsworth Estate, including The Cavendish Hotel and The Devonshire Arms at Beeley and Pilsley. The group has also owned the nearby Peak Village shopping centre and nature reserve since 2021, consistently developing the site’s offer since its acquisition, as well as its reputation as a destination for local communities and visitors alike.
Stephen Vickers, CEO of the Devonshire Group, said: “We are always looking for opportunities to create and grow businesses that have a positive impact on local people, local employment and the wider visitor economy in Derbyshire.
“The Highwayman site represents just that, providing us with the chance to enhance an already successful site to encourage even more visitors to this special corner of the UK, connecting them with nature, heritage and the wealth of local activities and produce on offer here.
“We are looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues to the Devonshire Group and sharing our plans for the site in due course.”
Richard Palmer, managing director of Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants Group said: “We’re very excited about the opportunity to add the Highwayman to our portfolio of restaurants and accommodation in Derbyshire, and to build on the warm welcome and strong reputation created over years by the staff at this site.”
