A YORK hotel's longest serving member of staff is "chequing out" for the final time as she retires from her accountancy role.

Angela Hildred joined Best Western Monkbar Hotel 25 years ago, only a few months after the hotel opened.

In that time, the hotel, which began life as the 49-bedroomed Russell Hotel, has not only had a change of name, but also a change of ownership, wit the present proprietors currently investing £3 million in a programme of expansion and improvements.

Over the two and half decades Mrs Hildred has given financial advice to six general managers at the hotel.

She said: "I will take with me a lot of very happy memories of the Monkbar Hotel and all the great people I have worked with. It has been my ‘home’ for a quarter-of-a-century and the staff are like family to me.

"The hotel has changed beyond all recognition from its opening months and I’m delighted to see it going from strength to strength.

"I’ll miss the place and the people very much, but I’m looking forward to my retirement and spending plenty of quality time with my husband."

Monkbar Hotel general manager Graham Usher added: "Angela is our longest serving member of staff and will be missed by all of us here.

"She has been a fantastic accountant and her experience and knowledge has been invaluable to me. We wish her a very long and happy retirement."

Following its current expansion programme the city centre hotel will boast 125 bedrooms, seven function rooms and a new food and drink services.