TEIGNMOUTH is set to reap the benefits of another multi-million pound investment.

The 47-bedroom Cliffden Hotel has finally been sold, and the new owners reckon they will be able to attract even more holidaymakers to the resort, especially off season.

It has been bought by a family-owned hotel chain for about £1.3 million and they plan to spend well over another £1 million on a phased upgrade.

All jobs have been secured, and more will be created, with the emphasis on recruiting youngsters to train in various skills.

Kerian Barnes, the operations director of Starboard Hotels, forecast the Cliffden on the Dawlish Road would be good for local businesses.

‘We own 20 hotels around the country, and will be recommending Teignmouth and the Cliffden to many of our guests who we regularly keep in touch with via our large database and cross marketing. We also frequently feature in the trade press, and will be singing the praises of Teignmouth and our new acquisition.’

She also said they wanted to encourage more locals to use the Cliffden, for functions, meals, or just popping in for a drink. And they were keen to retain the volunteers who helped guests with special needs.

The Cliffden set in seven acres of spectacular gardens overlooking the sea, had been on the market for more than a year after being put up for sale by the charity, Guide Dogs.

It has specialised in holidays for the visually impaired and their families and guide dogs, and Ms Barnes said they would still be welcomed.

‘We will be carrying out a phased refurbishment, which will take time and also include the gardens. We have already installed an improved wi-fi system.’

At the end of last year, Starboard also bought the Windermere Manor Hotel in the Lake District from Guide Dogs.

Paul Callingham, the group managing director forecast ‘an exciting new future for Cliffden’.

‘We are passionate about providing the very best facilities and levels of service for all our guests. With our experience at the Windermere Manor Hotel, we are confident of bringing our expertise and extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry to the Cliffden.

‘This is an important investment for Teignmouth. The trend for staycations is increasing in the UK, and this has created a great platform for a renaissance in our seaside towns.

‘We are pleased to be investing in this historic hotel and intend to sympathetically restore the property and the great facilities that already exist for people with sight loss and their families, as well as other guests.’

General manager of The Cliffden, Karen Stacey, described it as ‘an exciting time for the hotel, and we are looking forward to our new positioning as part of a successful portfolio of hotels.’

Annie Wilson, Guide Dogs’ head of mobility services for the South West, said: ‘We are delighted to complete the sale of the Cliffden and that Starboard Hotels has commit-ted to continuing to provide facilities for guests with sight loss. We know how much this means to our guide dog owners.’

Ms Barnes added: ‘This is a magnificent property, built as a family home just at the start of the Victorian era. It has a rich history and fascinating heritage, all enhanced by its enviable proximity to the sea and of course its beautifully manicured gardens.’

Starboard’s properties in other popular holiday and tourist destinations include the Best Western Carlton Blackpool, the Holiday Inn Express Ramsgate, Ibis hotels in Plymouth, Birmingham and Gatwick, the Holiday Inn Express, Greenock, Scotland and further hotels in Epping, Sheffield, Leicester, Leeds, Wetherby, Crewe, Derby, Haydock, Burnley and Barnsley.

There were fears that the Cliffden could be turned into flats and the town council was so concerned at one stage, it considered buying the property to safeguard it as a hotel.

Teignmouth’s only other larger hotel, The Bay on the seafront, has been closed for many months following the arrest of the owner Shirley Bothroyd, who is awaiting trial on arson charges.