AGENTS who sold an eight-bedroom Lake District guest house close to an asking price of £795,000 say the deal is a sign of the area’s strengthening hospitality market.

Colliers International revealed that Oakfold House, Bowness, was acquired by Maxwell and Marnie Ashworth, from Carshalton, Surrey.

Outgoing owners Michael Kilpatrick and Michael Rapson are retiring from the trade to live in the Peak District.

Haydn Spedding, associate director hotels at the North West office of Colliers International, said: “Oakfold is just one of a significant, and rising, number of such properties in the Lake District on our books that are attracting the attention of potential purchasers.

“People are being encouraged to bid by a market strengthening in line with the wider economy, and an improved ability to secure funding from both traditional and non-traditional lenders.”