A YORK hotel which went into administration has begun trading again.

Harrogate leisure property firm Inn Focus were this week announced as the new owners of The Lamb & Lion in High Petergate.

The firm also bought the Guy Fawkes Inn and Marmadukes in September, and the Lamb & Lion is thought to have cost more than £1 million.

Jack Merry, the new landlord, said the plan for the new Lamb & Lion was to keep things simple.

“We’ve been open since Wednesday now, and we had a great opening night. Nice and busy, with a really nice feel,” said Jack, who has also run the Tap & Spile in Monkgate, and the Ackhorne, in Trinity Lane.

“The plan is to serve a range of real ales, nice wines, and good locally-produced food.

“We’ve currently got four ales on tap, which we’ll change regularly, and we’re even having a beer brewed specially for us by the Great Heck brewery.”

Inn Focus is run by businessman Philip Barker, who is believed to have spent about £3 million in total on the three properties, which were all part of York entrepreneur David Hattersley’s portfolio.

The Lamb & Lion was bought from Mr Hattersley by Chris and Emma Watkins until administrators were called in by the Royal Bank of Scotland in March this year. More than 20 jobs were lost when the inn closed in March, and the Lamb & Lion currently has four members of staff as it begins a phased opening.

Jack said: “At the moment we’re just opening the bar from 11am to closing time, but as bookings come in for our rooms, we’ll be taking on more staff to help out. We’ll also be having a grand reopening at some point in November.

“It’s a great pub in a great location, with the best beer garden in York.

“I can’t wait for summer, but it will be a great Christmas too, with a lovely coal fire in the parlour.”