New leaseholder secured for Burford hotel which has lain empty for months

By Nicky Godding

21 July 2023

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The Business Magazine article image for: New leaseholder secured for Burford hotel which has lain empty for months

Burford Lodge Hotel has a new operator following the sale of the leasehold of the nine-bed, all en suite, 4-star hotel, following a deal brokered by commercial property specialists Colliers.

Rob Grant-Smith, the current owner of the historic 300-year-old Broadlands Hotel in Bourton-on-the-Water, just a 20-minute drive from Burford Lodge Hotel, has acquired the lease for the property. He intends to transform the guest house into a refined boutique hotel with a speakeasy bar, a baby grand piano, and an upscale Italian bistro on-site.

Rob Grant-Smith said: "When I saw the opportunity to take a lease on the Burford Lodge Hotel, I knew it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. As we expand our presence in this vibrant area, we are fully aware of the tremendous potential of this renowned tourist village. By providing an alternative option, we aim to assist guests who may be unable to secure a reservation at Broadlands Hotel, ensuring that they can experience the same exceptional standards at our new establishment."

Peter Brunt, director at Colliers Hotels Agency said: “Colliers continues to witness significant interest in sought-after vacation spots like the Cotswolds, and the leasing of Burford Lodge Hotel stands as further proof of the growing demand for high-quality hotel properties in picturesque tourist areas. We are delighted that another local operator has taken on the business and look forward to seeing his businesses continued growth and success.”

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.