A hotel on Alston Moor once famed for its fine dining and welcoming country house atmosphere has reopened following a £300,000 refurbishment.
The Lovelady Shield Hotel, on the road between Alston and Nenthead, closed in 2019 and no buyer could be found for the Georgian property and associated holiday cottages — until Cambridge-based serviced accommodation provider Payman Club Ltd stepped in.
The firm — which also has self-catering properties in locations including Cambridge, Graz, Hertford, Oxford, Torquay, Skegness, Immingham, Lincoln, Stromness, Coventry and London — bought the hotel after its owner, Na’im Payman, was “captivated by the property and the area”.
According to the company, this inspired the young businessman with a “vision of restoring the hotel and cottages to its former glory and sharing them with guests who would appreciate their history and charm”.
Recalling his first visit to the hotel, which was in need of extensive renovation and repairs, Na’im said: “I was captivated by the property, the spectacular setting and especially the market town of Alston. I rented a cottage for a couple of nights and explored the area. I was amazed by the beauty and serenity of the property. I knew I needed to turn the place around, no matter what it took.”
The hotel now offers 14 en-suite rooms, from single to family or group sized.
It also has a coffee lounge and a restaurant, which are open to the public. In addition, there are five cottages available for rent.
The hotel is managed by an American friend of the Payman family, Brenda James, who arrived in Alston in February of this year. She said she quickly fell in love with the hotel and the area.
She added that the hotel team are very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Alston Moor.
The team plana to host many events at the hotel, the first of which will be an evening concert and buffet dinner with award-winning Australian folk singer Enda Kenny on 26th August.
