THE owners of a popular hotel and restaurant have sold the property and retired.

Kenny and Lynn Beagle ran the Newbus Arms Country House Hotel and Restaurant, near Neasham, Darlington, for more than ten years, having previously owned and run other businesses in the area.

The freehold has been sold to John Wain, of Piercebridge, for an undisclosed sum, from an asking price of £670,000, through international hotel agents Christie and Co.

It is believed the Newbus Arms was built as a farmhouse mansion in about1610, and became a country house hotel in 1975.

It has 16 letting bedrooms, a 45-seat restaurant and function, conference and banqueting facilities