Award-winning chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White has taken over pub-hotel group Maypole, which owns The Pear Tree Inn at Whitley, near Melksham.
The Maypole venues are likely to operate as part of a joint venture between Mr White and independent pub company Powder Train, which already owns two pubs in Sussex.
Norfolk-based Maypole owns a portfolio of six rural pub-hotels, all apart from The Pear Tree Inn in East Anglia.
The group was founded in 2003 as an acquisition vehicle for countryside hotels with restaurants or pubs attached. It grew to employ nearly 200 people but went into administration last October after being unable to repay its bank loans.
Joint administrators Simon Bower and Bruce Mackay of Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery, continued to trade the pub-hotels while seeking a new owner.
Mr White was among 20 interested parties.
Mr Bower said: “This is a fantastic outcome which secures the continuity of the group. Throughout this process, the continuous support and encouragement of the loyal staff and customers has ensured we have been able to keep trading.”
Maypole describes The Pear Tree Inn as”a delightful country pub and restaurant that also offers cosy, modern accommodation with eight beautifully-designed bedrooms.”
The pub’s food has been praised by green hotel guide guru Alastair Sawday and was awarded the National Dining Pub of the year 2007 and gained two AA rosettes for its food and dining experience.
The Pear Tree has also won The Publican Catering Pub of the Year 1999; AA Pub of the Year England 2005; Good Pub Guide National Catering Pub of the Year 2007, the AA five-star Premier collection Restaurant with Rooms. It was recently awarded five stars by the AA for accommodation.
