Village pub sold at auction for £220,000 – but what are the new owner’s plans?

A village pub in the Wolds Weekly area was sold at auction last month with residents hopeful it will remain a place for them to eat, drink and socialise.

The Burton Arms, on Bridlington Road in Burton Fleming, was on the market as a freehold pub in Auction House, Hull & East Yorkshire’s online auction.

The property was described as a pub that had the potential to be expanded as a public house or restaurant, although potential new owners were also told that the building could be redeveloped for alternative use, if planning permission was granted.

The Burton Arms was given a guide price of £190,000 and started attracting bids two days before the auction closed.

Bidding on the day of the auction started at £200,000, sparking a battle between two individuals who were keen to get their hands on the property.

The pub was sold at 3:12pm for £220,000, £30,000 above the guide price.

The wait now begins to see whether the mystery bidder operates The Burton Arms as a pub, or whether a change of use is requested.

Currently, the pub has two large bar areas, a restaurant, function room and commercial kitchen, as well as a beer cellar and storage and toilet facilities.

The first floor is large enough for six bedrooms, with three en-suite bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen.

There is off-street parking and a roof terrace. The property is not registered as a community asset, which Auction House informed potential bidders would mean a change of use was ‘less complicated’.

There will be lots of interest in what the future holds for the Burton Arms, and whether it remains a pub or is transformed for an alternative use.

Another local property on the market during the auction was 1 George Street, Driffield, which has been the home of Trishna Tandoori Restaurant for 28 years.

The premises had a guide price of between £100,000 and £120,000, with Auction House describing it as suitable for continue as a restaurant or takeaway or redeveloped for alternative use.

However, the three-storey property went unsold after attracting just one bid of £100,000.

78 Middle Street South was also on the market and was sold for £45,000 after a bidding war that started at £35,000.

The lockup premises is located on the corner of Brook Street and is currently occupied by First Class Boutique, which will be unaffected by the sale of the building.

A further local sale was 54 Wansford Road, in Driffield, a three-bedroomed, semi-detached house, for £160,500, whilst 89 Main Street in Hutton Cranswick attracted no bids.

Sales of a five-bedroomed detached property in Foxholes and a two-bedroomed bungalow on Piper Road in Hutton were postponed.