Hospitality operators aim to restore Crown Inn to original splendour

News
23/01/2018

Hospitality operators Andrew Cornthwaite and Kate Lane have added the Crown Inn at Hopton Wafers to their pub portfolio following a deal brokered by Colliers International. They intend to trade under the name ‘The Hopton Crown’.

The historic 18-bedroom coaching inn near Kidderminster was in administration, and on the market at £895,000 for the freehold.

Peter Brunt, a director in Colliers International’s Hotels Agency team, said: “The Crown, situated alongside the A4117, is a well-known business in the area and the administration attracted a lot of interest.

“The characterful country inn has many period features including an inglenook fireplace and exposed beams. Itis within an easy drive of large population centres and a range of Shropshire attractions including Ludlow, Long Mynd, the Severn Valley Railway, Ironbridge and Worcester which helps generate considerable passing trade.

“I’m sure that the Hopton Crown will bring Andrew and Kate many years of profit once they have re-launched the business.”

Andrew Cornthwaite said they were planning a rolling refurbishment of the public rooms, bedrooms and kitchen at the Hopton Crown, which is their fourth country pub – all within a half hour drive of each other, in the rolling hills of the Shropshire-Herefordshire and Worcestershire borders.

“The Hopton Crown is a perfect complement to the existing properties in our portfolio. The idea is to ensure we have the same focus on quality and local charm but not as part of a large chain,” he said.

“Some of the existing letting rooms are in cottages which we are planning to turn back into holiday cottages, as they were originally designed and for which they have planning in place. We are the only pub in the village so the Hopton Crown serves an important social function.

“We are hoping to return the Hopton Crown to its previous splendour as a popular destination inn.”

The unusual name of the village in which the Crown Inn is situated is a combination of hop - a Celtic word for a side valley - and the name of Robert de Wafre, who once held the manor.