When the Read family bought Clare House in Grange-over-Sands it was a tiny place reminiscent of the TV show Upstairs, Downstairs. Now, 50 years on, it is a tranquil hideaway with fine dining and cosy rooms - and it’s attracting a whole new generation of guests.
Clare House Hotel is in an idyllic spot – set among lovely gardens, with sweeping views of Morecambe Bay.
It was built in the 1880s as a private home, then became a guest house and was run by the same two ladies for 17 years. The Read family bought it in the summer of 1969.
“It was very much a case of ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’,” says Andrew Read, who now runs the hotel with his wife Louise, after taking over from his mum June and late father, David.
“There were two second floor staff bedrooms, a back staircase out of the scullery, a temperamental coal-fired Aga, and an outside privy.
“One bathroom served the residents. Electric bar heaters with ‘shilling in the slot’ meters were the only source of heating in the bedrooms.
The first major refurbishment happened in 1972, changing staircases, opening up three more guest rooms, and installing a Garland range which is still in use today.
“We squeezed 14 radiators and a boiler into a Wolseley 1885S,” adds Andrew. “Using the cover of darkness we meandered from Bradford with a millimetre of play in the rear suspension.”
In 1980, work began on a new wing with seven en-suite balcony rooms, though a delay meant the sliding doors had to be fastened shut after the balconies themselves didn’t arrive. Yet life was pretty idyllic, with cricket on the lawn, home to Pablo the horse who provided perfectly cropped grass. On Sundays, a leg of lamb would slowly roast while June popped to the tennis courts for a couple of sets.
Andrew says: “A succession of pets have enriched the lives of guests and family - except Charlie the cat, not universally known for her winning personality. She would sleep on any chair she liked, safe in the knowledge that no-one, and I mean no-one, would dare touch her.”
Today, the hotel has 18 bedrooms, an elegant lounge, and newly-created seating areas in those lovely gardens. It is attracting increasing numbers of non-residents, tempted by home-cooked modern British food. Andrew began his hospitality career at the famed Sharrow Bay hotel and he and Louise take their inspiration from Cumbria’s finest restaurants. It’s a successful strategy as the hotel holds a host of awards.
Andrew says: “Much by chance the AA inspector who awarded us our first AA Rosette in 1997 was a former Sharrow Bay chef, who recognised elements of the service and food presentation.
“Clare House still retains the elegance and tranquillity of a bygone age. Eighty per cent of our visitors last year had stayed with us before. It’s like home to them, they just walk in and relax.
“It’s amazing to reach 50 years, the time has flown by, and we’re always improving, there’s always something new to explore.”
