The Old Courthouse Inn at Great Bromley in Essex has changed hands for the first time in 14 years.
The new owners are local operators Vincent (Vinny) and Sarah Ranzulla, who previously owned Sam’s Diner restaurant and takeaway in Colchester seven miles away. Sarah’s mother, Pam Arram, was also part of the buying team.
The 18th-century village inn on the edge of Constable Country dates back to 1722 and once served as the local courthouse (with the gallows across the road) before its conversion, in 1822, into an inn.
The detached property – which is within easy reach of the seaside resorts of Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton on the Naze – offers 10 en-suite letting bedrooms with a four-star tourist board rating, a 40-seat bar and lounge, and a 50-seat restaurant, with a courtyard garden and large car park outside.
The deal included a four-bedroom owners’ house with private parking and garden.
The new owners plan to create a function room for wedding receptions, private parties and corporate events, introduce a new menu of home-cooked food, and host occasional live music events.
The Ipswich office of Christie + Co sold the freehold off a guide price of £875,000 on behalf of Terry and Carole Marshall. Christie Finance provided the funding.
By Angela Frewin