Lakeland hotel goes to Swiss buyer

THE West Vale Country House situated at Far Sawrey, near Ambleside in South Lakeland, Cumbria, has been sold from an asking price of £1.1m.

The specialist hotels team at real estate advisers Colliers International sealed the deal on behalf of Glynn and Dee Pennington.

It has been acquired by Gabriel Farrer, who purchased the property as an investment from his base in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Mr Farrer will continue to operate West Vale – which is set in its own gardens and looks down towards Hilltop, the former home of Beatrix Potter – as luxury bed and breakfast accommodation in the short term before undertaking refurbishment of the business.

Haydn Spedding, associate director, hotels agency at the Manchester office of Colliers International said: “West Vale is a picturesque detached country house offering seven exceptionally high quality en-suite letting bedrooms, complimented by two self-catering lets and well-appointed owners’ accommodation.

“The sale of West Vale Country House illustrates the continuing increase in activity in the hotel and guest house market in the Lake District National Park.

“Mr Farrer is one of a number of overseas buyers who have been introduced to the Lake District market by Colliers International in the last few months with other foreign buyers actively looking at buying in what they see as a premium location of the Lake District.”