A COUNTRY house turned hotel on the outskirts of York is celebrating its 30th anniversary in business.

2014 marks the 30th year since Middlethorpe Hall reopened as a hotel, restaurant and spa having being bought by Historic House Hotels in the early 1980s.

The house, in Bishopthorpe Road, was originally built in 1699 for Thomas Barlow, a master cutler from Sheffield.

It descended in the family for most of the 19th and 20th century, but was let to various tenants. From 1851 it was occupied by a girls boarding school for 30 years, and in 1972 it became "Brummels" night club.

Twenty four years after being restored and transformed into a hotel Middlethorpe Hall, along with two other properties owned by Historic House Hotels, was donated to the National Trust, with all profits benefitting the houses and the charity.

Throughout the year staff have been celebrating the anniversary, and hosted a special dinner featuring a course and accompanying wine from each of the hotel's three decades.

Special guests were Lord Mayor cllr Ian Gillies and Lady Mayoress, and the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu and his wife Margaret Sentamu.

Lionel Chatard, general manager at Middlethorpe Hall said: "This has been a tremendous team effort over the years, under the visionary and steadfast chairmanship of Richard Broyd and with the hard the work of so many wonderful people along the way.

"The evening was the perfect opportunity to thank past and present employees and volunteers for their achievement, care and dedication.

"We were delighted to have guests attending the dinner who were also present for the official opening and have continued to visit regularly over last thirty years. We are grateful to them for their continued support."