Suddenly Colin and Sharon Marsh have become a two-hotel couple.

The owners of the St Denys Hotel in St Denys Road, York, have bought the Blue Bridge Hotel, Fishergate, from retired hotelier Brian Long for an undisclosed sum but now intend to spend £100,000 on a major revamp of the premises.

The couple are drawing up plans for an extension of the Blue Bridge into an empty neighbouring house which was Mr Long's home before he retired to Bath eight years ago.

It will be remodelled into three four-poster executive suites and the roof of the main hotel - three spliced houses - will be raised by six ft to create more space on the top floor.

If planning consent is forthcoming, they reckon that within the next four years they will add another six or seven rooms to the existing 16, all but one of which is en suite, and add another five or six to the 13 already on the Blue Bridge payroll.

The second venture comes just two years after Colin, a qualified chartered accountant and Sharon, once the showbiz agent for comedian Bobby Davro, bought the 13-bedroom St Denys from Colin's parents, Ruth and Keith Marsh.

Colin's brother, Matthew, has now been appointed manager of the St Denys and its nine staff, while Louise Chesman continues to manage the Blue Bridge as well as its a la carte restaurant, Craig's, which is open to the public.

The staff of both hotels work together to share ideas and to develop a "dual welcome" guest care programme.

Colin said: "We had wanted a second hotel following two successful years of trading at the St Denys during which turnover doubled and the Blue Bridge fits perfectly into our plans."

The first of those plans is due to come into fruition in summer - with the birth of their second child, a brother or sister for their 18 month old daughter, Lauren.

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