40 jobs to be created as Shropshire's Hawkstone Hall under plans to turn it into luxury hotel
About 40 jobs could be created as part of ambitious plans to covert a mansion into a luxurious 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.
