A County Durham pub with rooms, a large restaurant and bar area is looking for new owners after it hit the market at the start of this month. 

The Hardwick Arms Hotel in Sedgefield appeared on the open market on February 2 after business property advisers Christie & Co published the venue to its website.

The property comprises a characterful local bar, along with a large lounge restaurant which formerly traded as the Herd & Herb Restaurant, alongside 11 letting bedrooms on the upper floors.

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Complete with two, one-bedroom flats included the property is a turn-key operation from top to bottom.

The current owner, Andrew Popple, said: “I bought the property back in 2018, having aspired to have my own restaurant for as long as I can remember.

"We’ve carried out some significant works to create a venue that people really enjoy coming to.

The Northern Echo: The outside of the venue in SedgefieldThe outside of the venue in Sedgefield (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

"We’re rated #1 restaurant on Tripadvisor and that is testament to the quality of food we offer.

“Unfortunately, with costs spiralling out of control, to continue to serve this style of food in this setting has become unsustainable.

"I have no doubt that an alternative food offer would work and we’ve considered a number of options, but that’s not what I set out to do when we opened Herd & Herb, so it feels more appropriate for me to pass the baton on to somebody else.”

The Northern Echo: The venue's inside bar areaThe venue's inside bar area (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

David Cash, Director in Christie & Co’s Hospitality team, who is handling the sale, added: “Internally, the whole place is unrecognisable from when I sold it to Andy back in 2018. At that time it was tired, dated and unloved.

"Andy has spent a huge amount of passion, time and money in creating a venue which now oozes quality throughout.

The Northern Echo: The venue also has accommodation The venue also has accommodation (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

"To refurbish a premises to that extent but still manage to retain the buildings character is testament to Andy and his team.

“Having sold the Pickled Parson in December 2021 and the Corner House in November 2022, I can say with confidence that Sedgefield is a popular place for hospitality buyers – we expect interest from local, high net worth individuals as well as regional and national pub companies.”

The pub is on the market for £750,000.