The 30-bed hotel will see upgrades made to its accommodation, lounge and wedding facilities.

A family-owned hotel and dining establishment near Eckington is undergoing a major upgrade programme after securing more than £1m in funding.

The Sitwell Arms Hotel, near to the historic Renishaw Hall and Gardens, will see work carried out to its accommodation and facilities after receiving over £1m from Cambridge & Counties Bank.

The Grade II listed building has original core dating back to the 18th century when it was a coaching inn, and over the years, the hotel has been extended to include a gym, salon and function room overlooking the lake within its six acres of gardens.

placeholder image — The stone-built Sitwell Arms Hotel, in Renishaw, dates back to the 18th century. | The Sitwell Arms Hotel

The 30-room hotel will see its work led by the company director and owner Jo-Anne Oldfield, who began working at the establishment at age 14. The work will include an expanded public lounge, accommodation updates, large maintenance projects, and upgraded wedding and events capabilities. A separate house adjacent to the hotel will also be renovated and rented out.

Ms Oldfield said: "We passionately believe the Sitwell Arms offers a wonderful experience to all types of guests and we’re truly excited by our upgrade programme. Opportunities and requirements continue to evolve post-pandemic, so we have invested to ensure we are delivering the best possible experience at fantastic value."

The hotel has a 'very good' score of 8.1 out of 10 from guests on Booking.com.

Michelle Stevenson, relationship manager at Cambridge & Counties Bank, said: "We are delighted to be supporting Jo-Anne and the team at the Sitwell Arms Hotel. It is a wonderful, historic venue in a great location and benefits from strong demand from a large number of different types of guests."