A HUSBAND and wife team have taken over the running of a village pub in North Yorkshire.

The Dawnay Arms, off the A64 in West Heslerton, near Malton, has been sold to experienced pub operators Simon Hatton and Jessica Tarver.

The couple and their team have extensive experience operating pubs businesses.

They plan to run to The Dawnay Arms as a traditional village pub serving honest home-cooked food.

In addition, they wish to tap into the local community in the immediate village and surrounding area, promoting a warm, contemporary and characterful space for the nearby residents.

Simon said: “We are now open. Business has been very good. We’ve had really good support from the village and surrounding area.

“We’ve got plans for two new letting bedrooms to be used as a bed and breakfast from the middle of next month.

“With the continued support of the community we are very confident of making a success of the business and giving the community a pub they can be proud of.”

The previously closed pub boasts a spacious lounge and bar area for approximately 70 people, a dining room with seating for 40, a commercial grade catering kitchen, an outdoor patio and spacious beer garden.

There is also parking available on site.

The Dawnay Arms sits within part of a large estate and is managed by real estate investor, Albanwise.

Having been closed for some time, the owners wanted to create a fair lease for a quality operator to take on the pub and run a successful business as part of their estate.

Shaquille Meyers, at Albanwise, said: “We look forward to helping the new operators settle into their new business venture and have no doubt the pub will become a success once again in the new year.”

The pub and restaurant was sold through specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co.

Sam Ashton, business agent at Christie & Co, handled the sale and said: “The Dawnay Arms proved a very popular business opportunity when brought to the open market.

“Christie & Co was delighted to act on behalf of Albanwise when marketing the pub on a new leasehold basis, and I am pleased to have assisted in this transaction.”

The Dawnay Arms was marketed with a nil premium on the lease and a rent with an asking price of £15,000 per year.