THE Clarks have run a hotel on York's largest independently owned plot of land within the city walls for 40 years, with three generation of the family working in the business.

With the venture passing down through the family its not just the change of name from Lady Anne Middletons to Middletons Hotel that's bringing the business into a new era.

Entering the Family Business of the Year award, Middletons hotel in Skeldergate is now run by Henny Clark, the daughter of the original owners Andrew and Käthe Clark, with the help of her daughter, sister and partner.

Henny has been involved in a government run initiative and invested extensive time and money into refurbishing of the site.

A half a million pound project has seen improvements on the exterior of the main hotel building with refurbished bedrooms, a new state of the art kitchen and public areas.

As well as creating an a new boutique style hotel for visitors to York, the work Henny has put into the site has resulted in the creation of new jobs and new career opportunities for existing and new members of staff.

Middletons is also part way through a project to create a digital hub, offering office accommodation for businesses in the creative and digital sector.

Louise Robinson, sales and marketing manager at Middletons, said: "Whilst still at the beginning of our journey to put ‘Middletons Hotel’ back on the map, the dedication from Henny and the Clark family has been and continues to be second to none.

"The journey to where the site now is has not been an easy one. As a collection of six listed buildings, the family has come up against numerous obstacles yet this hasn’t deterred them in continuing the project."

"Although we have come a long way since the journey began, the journey certainly isn’t over.

"With dedicated staff who have worked for the family for more than 15 years, Henny continues with her vision of making Middletons Hotel a well-recognised, welcoming hotel and restaurant for everyone to enjoy."