THE owners behind a popular York hotel have bought the iconic The Old Deanery Hotel in Ripon.

Rebecca Hill and Chris Layton, hoteliers behind York's Galtres Lodge Hotel and proprietors of Layton Hill Hotels Ltd, have revealed their plans for the historic Grade II listed building.

Formerly operating as an award-winning hotel and wedding venue, The Old Deanery was forced to close its doors for good earlier this year after months of lockdown.

The new owners hope to bring the hotel back to its former glory before re-opening primarily as a wedding and events venue by Spring 2022.

Lending their expertise to the redevelopment of The Old Deanery Hotel will be the experienced general manager David Macdonald and consultant chef Stephanie Moon, both of whom were highly influential with Galtres Lodge.

Located opposite the beautiful Ripon cathedral, The Old Deanery Hotel boasts 11 bedrooms, stunning gardens, and several public areas, which are due to be restored back to a country house. It hopes to hold winter weddings and Christmas parties by Winter.

Rebecca said: “We are beyond excited to take on The Old Deanery. It is such a beautiful property in the heart of a beautiful city, and we cannot wait to become a key part of the community.

"The welcome has already been incredible, and we are so grateful for the kind messages that we have received so far.

“As we are still in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, we plan on taking a cautious approach and start by opening primarily as a wedding and events venue.

“We also hope to organise smaller public events, such as open days and afternoon tea parties, to keep The Old Deanery as open to the public as possible.

"We believe this approach will strike the perfect balance of being open enough to ensure we become a vital part of the community.

“Overall, we want The Old Deanery to be a jewel in Ripon’s crown and be 'the place' to celebrate weddings, birthdays and Christenings.

"We are currently in the process of planning some informal open days to meet everyone, as getting to know our local community is of vital importance to us."