Matharu Brothers go off in different directions

Main Photo: The Elvetham Hotel Hartley Wintney

Date: November 2019

Location: Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, UK

Name: The Elvetham Hotel

No. of Keys: 72

Seller: The Dare family, who also open The Petersham Hotel in Richmond

Buyer: Jastar Capital, Chaired by Raj Matharu and run by Jay, Taran and Sindri, his children. Ray and his two brothers Tony and Harp started and built up Grange Hotels over the past 30 years, until they sold four of the 20 hotels for £1bn to Queensgate Investments earlier this year.

Jastar was set up earlier this year by the three siblings Jay, Taran and Sindri Matharu following a reorganisation of Grange Hotels.

The Dare family has sold the freehold of the 72-bedroom country house hotel, owner via their Richmond & Hampshire business, after 18 years of ownership for an undisclosed sum.

Dating back to the 1200s, the estate includes 35 acres of landscaped grounds, 21 meeting spaces and 10 separate buildings over 79,000 sq ft of space. Jastar Capital is planning a “significant investment” into the property including refurbishment of bedrooms, bathrooms and public areas, and the creation of a new restaurant and spa.

Jastar’s portfolio includes three of the 11 Grange hotels – London’s Fitzrovia, Langham Court and the Strathmore hotel in South Kensington.

The Elvetham is expected to be the first of several acquisitions and developments for the group, which has “ambitious plans to grow its presence in the hospitality sector across the UK”, according to property director Jay Matharu. Jay’s working career includes a stint in the hotels department of CBRE.

He added: “We are pleased to announce the addition of the Elvetham to the Jastar Capital portfolio. We hope to build on the well-loved foundation that has been safeguarded by the Dare family for almost two decades.”

Greville Dare, managing director of Richmond & Hampshire, said: “I am personally delighted for the Elvetham, and for the staff, that the Elvetham has been acquired by another privately owned ‘family’ business like ourselves. The Matharu’s are highly experienced, professional and successful hoteliers with great vision and resources which will enable them to further unlock the Elvetham’s exciting potential.”

Alex Lee-Bull, associate director, hotel investment properties, CBRE, which advised on the sale, said: “The sale provides an excellent opportunity for the new owner to reposition the Elvetham and take advantage of the property’s rich history and character.”

Meanwhile, one of the other brothers, Tony took the 76 room Rochester, 84 Wellington and in development, now opened – the 273 suite Tower Suites hotels and created a new brand Blue Orchid Hotels, earlier this year.

THPT Comment: The Matharu brothers did brilliantly well to build up Grange…shame it went a bit sour towards the end… but they seems to have settled matters and gone their own ways, hopefully happily!

First Seen: The Caterer

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