Administrators sell hotels after collapse of business empire

TWO York hotels formerly owned by flamboyant businessman David Hattersley have been sold by administrators following the collapse of his property empire last year.

Guy Fawkes and Marmadukes Hotels were among the businesses which went into administration, leaving Mr Hattersley owing about 4m in bank debt.

The hotels have now been sold by property agency Colliers International on behalf of joint administrators Phil Pierce and Andrew Sheridan of Baker Tilly Restructuring & Recovery.

Guy Fawkes is opposite York Minster and has 13 bedrooms along with a bar and restaurant. Marmadukes, on St Peter’s Grove, has a bar, restaurant, lounges, meeting rooms and 20 bedrooms.

They were both sold for an undisclosed sum. The buyer has not been named.

Peter Bean, director of Colliers International in Leeds, said: “Guy Fawkes and Marmadukes created a high level of interest from buyers attracted by their high-quality facilities and outstanding trading locations in this major tourist destination city which continues to perform well. The whole process from first viewings to completion of the sales took about five months.”

The sale comes after another of Mr Hattersley’s York properties, The Lamb & Lion Inn in High Petergate, was sold for more than 1m in May to an un-named buyer.

The businessman, who spent 20m in less than three years to build up an impressive property portfolio throughout the city, declared himself bankrupt last October following the collapse of the de Bretton Hospitality Group and property group D & SJ Hattersley Properties.

The jewel in the crown of his property portfolio was the 700-year-old Lendal Tower in York, which he planned to turn into a 2,000-a-week holiday let.