THE OWNERS of a popular boutique hotel in the heart of York have announced their latest business venture.

After purchasing Ripon's iconic The Old Deanery Hotel, Rebecca Hill and Chris Layton have revealed their hopes to reinvigorate the hotel before re-opening primarily as a wedding and events venue later in the year.

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Experienced general manager David Macdonald and consultant chef Stephanie Moon, will also be lending their expertise to the redevelopment of The Old Deanery Hotel.

Rebecca Hill said: "We are beyond excited to take on The Old Deanery. It is such a beautiful property in the heart of a beautiful city, and we cannot wait to become a key part of the community.  

"The welcome has already been incredible, and we are so grateful for the kind messages that we have received so far."

“As we are still in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, we plan on taking a cautious approach and start by opening primarily as a wedding and events venue.  

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"We plan to be available for winter weddings and Christmas parties this November/December and fully up-and-running as a wedding and events venue from spring 2022.”  

“We also hope to organise smaller public events, such as open days and afternoon tea parties, to keep The Old Deanery as open to the public as possible.  

"We believe this approach will strike the perfect balance of being open enough to ensure we become a vital part of the community.”

“Overall, we want The Old Deanery to be a jewel in Ripon’s crown and be “the place” to celebrate weddings, birthdays and Christenings.  

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"We are currently in the process of planning some informal open days to meet everyone, as getting to know our local community is of vital importance to us,” Rebecca concluded. 

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