A hotel operating in a 300-year-old building in Cumbria is back in business after refurbishments.

The Wilding, in Brough, will open on March 26 to welcome its first guests.

The hotel business is run by the whole family, who are directors - Carolyn Harker, her husband Clifford Harker, and daughters Andrea and Julia Harker, who also all run Eden Wedding Barn.

“The reasons we bought it is our guests were requesting accommodation, and this came on the market.

“The hotel will be for guests having a family celebration and will be open to everyone, including the local community, and we will be running it as an events venue and will also be doing food and drinks.”

The hotel was five-star when it opened nine years ago and has had a series of different managers.

Its current operators bought it in November and closed it to do a full renovation.

“We’ve done loads of work – a complete decoration and redesign of the rooms,” she said.

They’ve made an effort to modernise while also being respectful of the building’s history and added touches of nature, hence the name ‘The Wilding’ which comes from the concept of rewilding – giving land back to nature.

Jobs are going to be created as well, as Carolyn explained: “We’re using the same management team and we will be recruiting new people for the bar and kitchen,” six jobs approximately for permanent positions, and seasonal staff will be relied upon.

Food will be provided by chef Robert Keefe who has worked at the hotel before.

This venture is new ground for Carolyn but one the team is confident about, and something the community wants, as Carolyn said: “We’ve been given a lot of positive feedback from the community because we’re restoring the building.”