Hotel group buys Bodelwyddan Castle from Denbighshire council
- Published
The castle was bought by the former Clwyd county council in the 1980s
A hotel group has bought a Grade II-listed Victorian castle which has been shut for two years from a council.
Bodelwyddan Castle shut in 2019 after Denbighshire Council stopped its annual £144,000 grant.
A Bourne Leisure spokesman said the group was "delighted" to have now acquired the castle. Its subsidiary, Warner Leisure Hotels, has run the neighbouring hotel since 1994.
The council will continue to own neighbouring woodland and a meadow.
The authority will also still own a car park at the site so members of the public can visit the land around the castle.
It will also keep a small lodge on the east side of the estate.
It now has plans to preserve the historic site and "provide an economic boost for the local area".
The authority said it paid just over £465,000 for the lease, which was valued at £1m, and had sold the the castle to Bourne Leisure for £500,000.
The council's finance spokesman Julian Thompson-Hill said the authority was "really pleased" to secure the castle's future.
He said: "This exciting development will help raise the profile of Denbighshire as a tourism location to enjoy while staying here, and it will also bring an important economic boost to the surrounding communities.
"The council also recognises how much the site is an important asset to people who live in the area, and that is why we want to keep the parkland in public ownership, so people can continue to enjoy the stunning grounds surrounding the castle."
The castle is set in 260 acres of land
A spokesman for Bourne Leisure said: "Over the last 26 years we have welcomed over 500,000 guests to stay and enjoy the delights of Denbighshire, supporting jobs and the local economy.
"We're excited by this opportunity for us to further enhance the site for guests to enjoy."
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