New owners revamp famous fishing hotel

West Country fishing hotel The Arundell Arms has been sold after 60 years in the ownership of one family. The new owners, Simon Village and Arabella Monro, are revamping the 300-year-old former coaching inn in Lifton, on the banks of the Tamar. The cockpit (once used for cock fighting but now used as rod room) is being re-roofed and the public areas and bedrooms refurbished.

“We intend to keep the best of the hotel and develop it to ensure it maintains its position as England’s leading country sports hotel,” said Village, a former mining engineer and banker, who now lives in Chagford, Devon.

Adam Fox-edwards took over the hotel from his mother, Anne Voss

Bark, in 2010. During lockdown, the hamper business he set up in the hotel’s courtyard flourished, with orders tripling.

Demand for Devon and Cornish cream teas rocketed with hotel staff brought back from furlough to cook and pack hampers. “At the peak we did 6,000 hampers in a month and were baking 1,500 scones a day,” said Fox-edwards.

Hogs Bottom Preserves in Lifton reopened to provide jam for the hampers and Foxcombe Bakery biscuits. Customers included a wealth management company sending out hampers to clients to a shipping company thanking hard-working employees.

Following the sale, Fox-edwards will concentrate on running Devon Hampers, which is based in the hotel’s car park.

The Arundell will accommodate shooting parties over the winter months but won’t be fully open until the next fishing season starts in March 2021.

Call them on 01566 784666 or visit: thearundell.com