Two York hotels up for sale as another sells for £2m

Guy Fawkes Inn and Marmadukes, formerly part of flamboyant businessman David Hattersley's empire, are set to raise more than 2m after being placed on the market.

Meanwhile, the three-star Minster Hotel in Bootham, York, which was listed among the dirtiest in Europe on a travel website, has been sold to new owners for more than 2m.

Guy Fawkes, which dates back to the early 1700s and is controversially claimed to be the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, is being marketed at offers around 1.1m. Offers are being invited around 1.25m for Marmadukes.

The hotels traded under the De Bretton Hospitality banner until it went into administration last May.

Colliers Robert Barry, based in Leeds, is acting on behalf of P Pierce and A Sheridan, joint administrators and joint fixed charge receivers.

Meanwhile, the Minster Hotel has been sold to Kaye's Hotels, which owns the four-star Waterton Park Hotel in Wakefield.

Earlier this year it ranked as the tenth most poorly-reviewed hotel in Europe for hygiene by guests on the TripAdvisor website.

But the new owners said they will spend more than 350,000 on refurbishing the hotel during the next six months. It will be done in two phases so that the hotel can remain open while the work is carried out.

Tony Kaye, who has more than 20 years experience in operating three and four-star hotels will be taking over the business.

He said: "Although there is a lot of work to be done to turn around the fortunes of this hotel, it is an exciting challenge and we are looking forward to ensuring that guests have a very pleasant stay at our hotel when visiting York."

York-based commercial law firm Denison Till advised Minster Hotels and its directors. It is the fourth time it has acted in the sale and acquisition of the 34-bedroom hotel in the last decade. GM Wilson Solicitors in Wakefield, acted for Kaye's Hotels.