The Duke of Northumberland Takes us Through the New Bailiffgate Hotel
The Duke of Northumberland takes us through the renovation and refurbishment of the historic Alnwick building which is now the new Bailiffgate Hotel
Today, thankfully, Alnwick is an altogether more tranquil town and it’s also become, thanks to its eponymous Castle (Harry Potter et al) and Garden, an outstanding place to visit. With growing interest in the town from near and far, places to stay are at a premium. It’s appropriate then that a building that has a rich history should now have a new life as a stylish hotel in the town.
The Duke of Northumberland explains more about the thinking behind the renovation, refurbishment and the building’s heritage, as well as its new exciting life as Bailiffgate Hotel.
How long had you been exploring options for the building, and why did you decide to convert it to a hotel?
The Estate has owned Bailiffgate House since 1780, and over the years it has served a number of different purposes. Most notably, it was the First Duke’s Commissioner’s House, and later, it became a school which was founded in 1808 by Julia, one of the earliest Duchesses of Northumberland.
Bailiffgate House came back to the Estate in 2017 when the Duchess’s School relocated to Greensfield, in the south of Alnwick. From the start, we knew we wanted to keep the building – not least because of its historical ties to the Estate and its proximity to Alnwick Castle.
We did explore the idea of a residential development, but in the end, we felt a hotel would have a bigger impact – both socially and economically – on Alnwick and the surrounding area. It was an opportunity to restore the building while also creating something that would bring people into the town and support the local economy.
What made you confident that Bailiffgate House would make a good hotel?
First and foremost, the location is exceptional. It has the Castle and breathtaking parkland as its backdrop, yet it’s right in the heart of Alnwick. That combination makes it an ideal setting for a luxury hotel.
And from a property perspective, we knew we had all the right features to create an outstanding venue. It’s an elegant and historic building, and we felt that if we got the concept right from the very beginning, we could deliver something really special in the heart of Northumberland.
The planning, development, and design teams worked incredibly hard to seamlessly blend the new-build section with the existing Georgian architecture. Retaining as many of the building’s traditional features as possible was central to the project. With so much history here, we felt it was important to give the building a new purpose while still honouring its past.
What were the biggest challenges?
With any historic preservation and restoration project, unexpected challenges are part of the process. Every time we opened a wall, we uncovered something new, and quite late in the project we discovered that we had to replace the roof timbers. When you're working with a building that’s over 200 years old and committed to preserving its landmark architecture, nothing is ever straightforward. That said, the team was absolutely determined to get it right, and sometimes that meant pushing back the opening to ensure we did justice to the building and the project as a whole.
What do you hope the hotel will do for the town?
Our goal is for Bailiffgate Hotel to become an integral part of the community. Throughout construction, the project has created jobs for hundreds of people in the region and supported many apprenticeships, and we’ll continue to recruit locally and work with local suppliers as much as possible.
More than anything, we hope the hotel will attract new visitors to Alnwick, which in turn will benefit the many fantastic local businesses here. But we also know the hotel will have a special significance for residents – especially those who went to school at Bailiffgate House. The bar and restaurant will be open to everyone, not just hotel guests, so we really want it to be a place that everyone can enjoy.
Do you have plans to open more hotels?
Not at the moment. Right now, our focus is on establishing Bailiffgate Hotel as the ‘go-to’ destination for visitors looking to explore the region. Northumberland’s stunning countryside, coastline, history and heritage offer something truly unique for all kinds of travellers, and we want the hotel to be a key part of that experience.
That said, we are looking at ways to enhance what we already have. The old school gym building at the back of the hotel is an interesting space, and we’re considering how it could be used in a way that complements both the hotel and the wider town.
What do you look for in a hotel?
I like it when a hotel embraces what makes it special rather than trying to fit a generic mould, whether that is through design or the experiences it offers. Tranquillity is important to me. I enjoy a peaceful environment to relax. And friendly and welcoming staff make all the difference as they really do set the tone for a memorable stay.
