Member Article

Dacres sells well-known Youth Hostel

Kettlewell Youth Hostel is under new ownership after leading estate agent Dacre, Son & Hartley sold the property to a local family who have decided to embark on an exciting new career in the hospitality industry.

Saul Ward and wife Floss have bought the property which has been providing accommodation in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales for more than 70 years. The couple, who are both aged 42, previously lived in Harrogate with their two children where Saul worked for outdoor clothing company Rohan and Floss as a financial researcher.

The property, known as Whernside House, will continue to operate as a Youth Hostel and offers eight guest rooms with 41 beds, dining, catering and relaxation areas, a manager’s cottage, integral staff accommodation, and is home to the village Post Office. The sale is part of The Youth Hostel Association’s plans to sell a number of its 138 properties to generate revenue to invest in other sites.

Patrick McCutcheon, Head of Residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, says: “Kettlewell Youth Hostel is extremely well known and has been a popular spot with outdoor enthusiasts for generations. As soon as we launched the marketing campaign, we were inundated with enquiries and we’re delighted to complete this deal within a matter of months. It was immediately apparent that Saul and Floss were well-suited to the property and were keen to continue running both the Youth Hostel and its Post Office in their current guise, which made them ideal buyers.”

Saul Ward says: “Like many people I’d often wondered about the possibility of changing careers, but never did anything about it until I happened to be reading Dacre, Son & Hartley’s newsletter at the end of last summer and saw Kettlewell Youth Hostel was for sale. I have stayed there in the past and have always enjoyed all types of outdoor activities so it immediately appealed.

“We went to visit and straightaway we knew it was right for us, so we made some enquiries and spoke to the Youth Hostel Association. The organisation introduced us to their ‘Enterprise Scheme,’ which means we can continue to operate as a Youth Hostel and benefit from the organisation’s brand and support network. It was also obvious how valuable the Post Office is to the people of Kettlewell so we were happy to learn the ropes and ensure this continues to operate as normal.”

Saul adds: “Within a matter of months we had sold our house in Harrogate, secured a mortgage and have just moved in. We hit the ground running, with 20 guests arriving on our first night, and we’re now in the process of refurbishing our main dining room so we can expand our food menu. We have also introduced a range of tasty packed lunch options for guests heading into the Dales for the day and we’ll be making several other improvements over the coming months.

“Although it has seemed daunting at times, it’s certainly worth it because I can’t think of anywhere more perfect to live and work than Kettlewell.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Steven Wright .