The Swan Hotel & Spa, Newby Bridge


	Great tradition with a modern twist


	Roland Bardsley always enjoyed a good Sunday lunch and knew exactly where to find one. The successful businessman dropped into The Swan in his helicopter every week and developed a real attachment to the hotel.

Privately, he told the staff that if ever his favourite lunch venue came up for sale, he would be first in the queue to buy.

It was in the latter part of the 1990s that Roland’s son received a phone call at the ostrich farm the entrepreneur had established locally. The Swan was on the market. True to his word, the former patron made a bid for the hotel and began a transformation that has turned us into the impressive four-star venue we are today. And although Mr Bardsley sadly passed away a few years ago, the hotel has stayed within the family. Our owners continue to preserve the hotel’s historic traditions, while investing in the first-class facilities and contemporary décor that customers expect.

A trip back in time
Of course, the history of The Swan goes back rather further than the 1990s. The oldest part of the current building was erected in 1623 as a farm and ale house. At that stage, our famous local bridge didn’t even exist. It wasn’t until 1651 that local benefactors were given the choice of a wooden structure costing £60 or a stone crossing at the shocking price of £90. Thankfully, they reached into their silk purses and found the extra £30.

The hotel’s grand Georgian façade was added in 1766 – a time at which the hotel had become a stopping point for the Royal Mail stage coach. A couple of decades later, The Swan offered accommodation for 12 of the affluent guests arriving on the coach and stabling for an equal number of horses.

Continual growth
Ownership changed many times in the decades that followed and the hotel gradually expanded during the nineteenth century. In the earlier part of the twentieth century, two local industries – producing gunpowder and the washing whitener ‘Dolly Blue’ – ensured that the local area stayed relatively prosperous and The Swan benefited in turn. But it wasn’t until the acquisition by the Bardsley family many years later that it was possible to modernise the listed building and bring it up to today’s high standards.

We’re proud of our history and hope you’ll take time to explore many of the pictures and artefacts we have on display when you come to visit. Please ask our receptionist if you’d like a leaflet with more information.

Site Design: MartinKerry.com