YET more investment will be lavished on a 62-bedroom luxury hotel near York which has changed hands for about £8 million.

The 19th century Aldwark Manor Golf and Country Club, at Aldwark, bought five years ago by successful Newcastle software entrepreneur Brad Holbrook, has been sold to the Marston Hotels group.

The new bosses have already begun looking for another 20 staff to take the hotel's workforce up to about 80 people.

HLL Humberts Leisure, acting for Mr Holbrook, sealed the deal as the finishing touches were being put on a multi-million pound revamp to the hotel and its estate in the picturesque Ure Valley.

The work increased the number of bedrooms from 28 to 62, and provided new health spa and beauty treatment facilities plus an improved golf course.

John Cotter, director for sales and marketing for Marstons, revealed today that in the next few months his group would spend about £600,000, mostly on refurbishing the older buildings, but also on an integrated computer and information technology system.

"We will also be embarking on a detailed training programme to bring the hotel to the standards we have come to expect as official Investors In People.

"We aim to take the establishment from three-star status to four-star in September."

Updated: 10:21 Tuesday, June 25, 2002