Charity hotel awaits buyer
Brian Burnie, the man who has pledged to donate all the proceeds from the sale of his hotel and spa in Northumberland to cancer charities, has appealed to a hotelier to come forward and buy it so he can fulfil his `wish list`.
Doxford Hall Hotel in Alnwick opened for business at the beginning of the year following 12 years of restoration by Burnie and his wife Shirley and £16m of investment. It was put on the market last month with the news that all proceeds from its sale would be donated to charity.
Burnie said despite the economic downturn he hoped to find a buyer in the next six months who would pay enough to enable him to fulfil his `wish list` of funding a Marie Curie/Macmillan cancer nurse for North Northumberland, a transport service for cancer patients and help children`s cancer charities.
He said: "Restoring the hotel has been my little hobby over the last few years, but that project has come to an end now with the spa opening next month. Whoever buys it will have a unique hotel with the added advantage that their finance will be funding all these services for people with cancer."
Each of the hotel`s 25 bedrooms have been individually decorated earning the hotel the nickname `Handmade Hall` and it includes a 60 cover restaurant, a function room catering for up to 350 and the spa, which opens in June. There is also a separate building that could be used as a private residence or redeveloped to be part of the hotel.
Burnie said media from across the world had been interested in his story and any potential buyer could benefit from the publicity generated through the sale.
He said: "The BBC have been in contact about making a documentary on what we are doing here and no doubt the purchaser will be part of that."
So far agents Rook Matthews Sayer have received one or two offers, but it is hoped more will come forward.
Burnie said staff had been supportive of his move: "We have got a fantastic team of staff who are all relaxed about a new owner coming in," he said.
For more information about the hotel contact commercial and business sales manager Jason Roberts at Rook Matthews Sayer on 0191 2120000.
