History for sale as top hotel is put on market

The four-star Norfolk Royale Hotel, which is located opposite the Daily Echo offices on Richmond Hill, has been put on the market by English Rose Hotels.

Although the owner has not specified an asking price, the hotel is expected to be sold for much more than the £4 million for which it was bought 12 years ago.

During that time it has undergone extensive refurbishment and has become a significant part of the English Rose Hotels portfolio.

But the company wants to focus its efforts on adding a 100-plus-bedroom to its existing range of seven properties in the north of England.

Managing director David Turner said: "We have all really enjoyed being part of the Bournemouth community.

"But we have to concentrate on the growth of the business and in order to do this we must focus on our customers and their needs, and this means putting all our efforts into the acquisition of another large property in the north. In the meantime we remain committed to the Norfolk Royale Hotel and are continuing with the ongoing refurbishment programme."

The Norfolk, which is a listed building, has 95 en-suite bedrooms, a hotel lounge and Club Bar and a wide range of conference rooms, function rooms and banqueting suites.

It is one of Bournemouth's most historic buildings and was built between 1840 and 1850.

The hotel started life as two separate villas, one of which was a summer retreat for the 14th Duke of Norfolk, Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard.

In 1870, the villas became one residence. It was renamed Stewart's Hotel before bearing its former occupant's name in 1910.

It remained as the Norfolk Hotel until 1988 when it was enlarged to the Norfolk Royale.

In November 1992, Price Waterhouse offered the hotel for sale at £4m. Just two years later it was on the market for £6m.

The hotel had been in the hands of receivers since then-owner Leading Leisure went into administrative receivership in November 1990.