A COUPLE with an extensive background in the hospitality sector have bought a 400-year-old five-star inn and restaurant in Kirkby Lonsdale.

The Sun Inn owners Mark and Lucy Fuller have been at the establishment since 2006 but have agreed to sell it to Jenny and Iain Black.

It was offered for sale through specialist business property adviser Christie & Co with an asking price of £1.95m.

After starting their careers together, aged 16 in a Cheshire burger joint, the careers of Mark and Iain crossed again in Forte Hotels as general managers, before coming full circle as they prepare to exchange the 17th century inn and restaurant.

Both Iain and Jenny have an extensive background in hospitality, working in large hotels all over the UK including The Belsfield in Bowness-on-Windermere, where the couple met, and a number of establishments with Forte Hotels and Novotel across the UK.

Iain said: “Kirkby Lonsdale is a real hidden gem and we can’t wait to settle in the area and get involved in the community too.

"We have always loved Cumbria, we’ve visited hundreds of times so we’re really looking forward to getting started at The Sun Inn.

"We’ve worked in Forte Hotels Inns Division in our early career and more recently I opened the Novotel in Manchester city centre."

Mark said he and his wife are looking forward to being 'on the right side of the bar'.

“When we came into the Sun Inn 11 years ago we completely started from scratch," he said. "We’re proud of how we have built up the inn and the restaurant, achieving five stars and 2 AA rosettes and a great working team. If we had been able to pick two people to take over as new custodians of the Sun Inn, it would have been Iain and Jenny.

“We’ll miss it but we’re now looking forward to becoming regulars of the Sun Inn on the right’ side of the bar."

Over the 11 years at the inn Mark and Lucy have achieved numerous awards including highly commended at last year’s Visit England Awards for Dog Friendly Business of the Year and being named in The Good Food Guide for the past three years.

For more information or to make a booking visit www.sun-inn.info or call 015242 71965