40 jobs to be created as Shropshire's Hawkstone Hall under plans to turn it into luxury hotel

The new owners of Hawkstone Hall today set out their vision for the venue, which could see it turned into a 30 to 40-bed hotel.

The property, which lies near Wem, was originally for sale in 2012 for £5 million, but had dropped its asking price to £3m to secure a buyer.

Now it has been bought by Martin Hirst and Hannah Petrouis, who are business partners in WH Hospitality and own Weston Hall in Staffordshire and the Saracen’s Head, which is a gastro pub in Weston.

Mr Hirst said: "We are very proud to be playing a part in the history of such a magnificent Grade I listed building and are looking forward to a very exciting future at Hawkstone Hall.

"It is a gorgeous building and is in beautiful surroundings.

"A lot of our plans are pending planning permission and depend on change of use, but we want to turn it into a hotel featuring about 30 to 40 rooms.

"There are various reports to do and we have left a lot with our advisers.

"We anticipate creating a minimum of 20 to 40 new jobs.

"We were interested in the property in early December and are very excited about the future. But a lot depends on what we will be allowed to do."

The pair become only the fourth owners of the hall in its 550-year history, following the original Hill family who built the hall, Liberal politician George Whitely and the Roman Catholic Redemptorist Order.

The home currently boasts 64 bedrooms, a ballroom, two cottages and has seen visitors including the Duke of Wellington and writer Samuel Johnson.