Warburton buys Shireburn Arms

JAMES Warburton, owner of the James’ Places group of Lancashire inns and restaurants, has bought the Shireburn Hotel in Clitheroe from administrators.

The hotel, which is based in Hurst Green, was one of two outlets which had been owned by the Alcock family through their company Eastlanco.

It employed 26 people at the Shireburn and 19 at the Bayley Arms, although staff from the latter transferred to another business after Eastlanco surrendered its lease on the property.

Tracey Pye and Patrick Lannagan from the Manchester office of accountancy firm BDO were appointed as joint administrators to Eastlanco on October 4, and subsequently agreed the sale to Mr Warburton, who is retaining existing staff.

Patrick Lannagan, BDO business restructuring partner, said:  “We are pleased to confirm that, following a short period of trading in administration, a going concern sale of the Shireburn Arms was concluded on 11 October 2011 to Mr James Warburton.”

Warburton’s company already operates the Emporium and the Waddington Arms in the Clitheroe area, the Mitton Hall Hotel near Whalley, and the Royal Hotel in Kirby Lonsdale.