An Ambleside bed and breakfast has been sold for more than £1 million.
Diamond Lodge was put on the market by its owners, Joe and Sarah Warzecha, for offers over £1 million and it has been sold for an undisclosed sum.
The couple have decided to retire after five years of running the boutique B&B, which they named Diamond Lodge in tribute to Joe’s father, who owned a jeweller’s shop in Ambleside.
The 10-bedroom Diamond Lodge was sold by the hotels agency team at Colliers to George and Jess Hardy, who already run a local holiday cottage company.
Jess is also undertaking a career change, having worked as a biomedical scientist for the NHS.
Haydn Spedding, consultant to Colliers, said: “Joe and Sarah are well known and much respected guest house operators, having owned several in Ambleside and Windermere over the last 30 years.
“They are retiring to live near Kirby Lonsdale.
“Diamond Lodge will undoubtedly provide excellent business opportunities for the new owners George and Jess at a time when the Lake District World Heritage site is proving hugely attractive to the growing staycation market.
“As the COVID lockdown eases, Colliers is seeing considerable interest in quality businesses such as Diamond Lodge in the Lake District and Cumbria, and we currently have a very significant number of guest houses under offer.”
Diamond Lodge, which dates back to 1860, is located within walking distance of Ambleside village and Lake Windermere.
The property was originally known as Cherry Trees, but it was closed and underwent a comprehensive refurbishment in 2015 after being acquired by Joe and Sarah and they then reopened it as Diamond Lodge.
The property also includes a two-bedroom owners’ apartment on the ground floor, and planning permission has been granted for a further three suites.
