Watling Real Estate has completed the sale of The Lakeside, a landmark wedding and events venue in Nottinghamshire, for £2.64 million.
The Grade II* Listed property, located just outside Arnold, was acquired by a subsidiary of Ensarb Ltd, one of the Midlands’ leading independent wedding venue operators.
Acting on behalf of joint fixed charge receivers Andrew Foster and Chris Walker, Watling Real Estate and Christie & Co. were instructed to market the venue earlier this year. Following a successful sales campaign, the property has now been transferred to its new owners for a price exceeding the original £2.5 million guide.
The Lakeside is a distinctive former water pumping station dating back to 1873, designed by renowned engineer Thomas Hawksley for the Nottingham Waterworks Company. The Gothic Revival building has been extensively restored and converted into a wedding and hospitality venue, centred around the iconic Thomas Hawksley Tower and overlooking an ornamental lake, landscaped gardens and surrounding parkland.
Occupying a prominent position on the A60 Mansfield Road, approximately six miles north of Nottingham city centre, the venue benefits from excellent connectivity to the wider region, with Junctions 26 and 27 of the M1 both within seven miles.
The venue includes an 80-cover restaurant with mezzanine dining, bar and lounge facilities, function space and a principal wedding suite capable of accommodating more than 150 guests, together with a substantial outdoor terrace. The property also includes West Lodge, a detached cottage providing on-site accommodation.
Toby O’Sullivan, Director at Watling Real Estate, said: “The Lakeside is an exceptional venue and a well-known landmark within the region. Despite remaining vacant for some time, it attracted significant interest owing to the quality of the asset, its historic character and its strong hospitality credentials.
“We are delighted to have completed the sale to Ensarb, a highly respected operator with an impressive track record of developing and managing successful wedding venues across the Midlands.
“The acquisition represents an exciting new chapter for The Lakeside and we look forward to seeing the venue brought back into operation under its new ownership.”
Established in 2006 by Ben and Sarah Reeves, Ensarb has built a strong reputation within the hospitality sector and is recognised as one of the region’s most successful independently owned wedding venue groups.
Stephen Hale and Eoghan Quinn of TLT acted on behalf of the joint fixed charge receivers, while James Lunt of Knights advised Ensarb on the acquisition.
