Acting on behalf of a private owner, Christie + Co has sold the freehold interest of the Park Central Hotel, Bournemouth, to award-winning operator Heritage Properties & Hotels, for an undisclosed sum in the region of £4 million.

Prominently located on the town’s seafront, the 60 en suite-bedroom hotel and newly constructed restaurant, which will open in the spring, benefits from some outstanding sea and coastal views.

Heritage, which is headed by the Hughes family, currently owns and operates The Crab at Chieveley, Berkshire’s award winning seafood restaurant with boutique hotel; Newbury Manor also in Berkshire; Churston Court in Brixham, Devon; and the 4 star Park Hotel in Shifnal, Shropshire.

The group previously acquired the Crab at Chieveley through Christie + Co in February 2008.

The company plans to replicate its award-winning success at the Park Central Hotel, which will offer high-quality individual letting accommodation that will be complimented by a fine seafood restaurant to be known as “The Crab at Bournemouth”.

Simon Stevens, Director at Christie + Co, commented: “This is an exceptional opportunity to create a destination hotel and restaurant, which should be a huge success considering the award winning reputation the Hughes family have already achieved elsewhere.

“This property attracted strong interest from a number of other hoteliers, including branded operators. We applaud this innovative new hotel and believe it will be a great success.”

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