Tycoon adds Sandy Park Inn to empire

Business tycoon Peter de Savary has added a stunning 500-year-old thatched pub to his portfolio for his guests to visit in Devon. The entrepreneur has bought the Grade 11-listed Sandy Park Inn at Chagford in the Dartmoor National Park through property agent Bettesworths. De Savaray will be able to entice guests, who stay at his famous Bovey Castle, to visit the inn and enjoy a taste of west country hospitality. He also owns the White Hart Hotel at Moretonhampstead, which he describes as the "village outpost of Bovey Castle". De Savaray and his general manager Ian Solkin will be creating an equally appealing title for his latest acquisition. The Sandy Park Inn stands in just over half an acre of grounds which has views overlooking the Teign Gorge to the Upper Teign, where de Savary owns the fishing rights. Solkin explained: "The Sandy Park Inn is a beautiful example of a lovely thatched Devon inn which oozes with history, character and charm. Our aim is to put the Sandy Park Inn back on the map." For the past five-and-a-half years, the inn was run by Paul and Marilyn Codlin, who have moved to take on another business challenge. Solkin said the inn would be closed for refurbishments which include extending the premises and converting the private bedrooms into five en-suite letting rooms. There will also be a 40-cover restaurant and, outside, three areas where customers can enjoy alfresco dining in the summer. Bettesworths sold the freehold property off its asking price of £340,000.