The owner of a Georgian guesthouse in Beverley is to face trial after denying charges relating to misleading commercial practices.

John Dixon Hart, 58, is the sole director of Minster Garth, a converted 18th-century townhouse on Keldgate in the East Yorkshire market town which trades as a bed and breakfast.

He faces six charges and pleaded not guilty to them all at Hull Crown Court yesterday.

The counts relate to his use of ‘misleading information and photographs’ on booking sites Expedia, Laterooms and Booking.com which gave a false impression of the hotel’s facilities, level of comfort and star rating.

Minster Garth has historic links to Beverley Minster

The accusations in the prosecution brought by East Riding Council also included minimum standards of hygiene, health and safety and customer service not being met.

The photographs showed guest rooms in a ‘good and clean condition and of a high specification’ between the spring of 2021 and this March.

As he has pleaded not guilty to all counts, he will go on trial in July 2023.

In 2019 he announced he was putting the eight-bedroom period property near Beverley Minster up for sale after becoming fed up with customers’ ‘unrealistic’ expectations of the budget accommodation.

Owner of Georgian B&B near Beverley Minster in Yorkshire to face trial over 'misleading' guests about its star rating

In 2019 he announced he was putting the eight-bedroom period property near Beverley Minster up for sale after becoming fed up with customers’ ‘unrealistic’ expectations of the budget accommodation.