A Darlington hotel has a new name and a new manager.

The New Grange Hotel has been renamed Hotel Bannatyne and John Price, 26, from Ingleton, near Darlington, is the new manager.

Mr Price graduated with a hotel management degree from Sheffield's Hallam University and then joined Marriott Hotel's graduate scheme.

During his degree, he spent a year with Marriott's Gosforth Park Hotel, in Newcastle, where he was named the best university placement Student by Catering and Hospitality Magazine.

During his time with Marriott, he worked at four of the company's hotels, including Windsor, Lincoln, Ipswich and most recently the Sprowston Manor Country Club and Hotel, in Norwich, where he was operations manager.

While at Sprowston Manor, Mr Price won the potential best managers award run by the Acorn Scholarship and last year won a national top managers under 30-years-old award.

Mr Price said: "This is a really fantastic opportunity for me to further develop a quality hotel and restaurant in my home town and I am keen to try out some new ideas."

Nigel Armstrong, managing director of Bannatyne Hotels, said: "John will bring a fresh face to a successful hotel."

The hotel is undergoing an building work on a 15-bed extension.