Former Hotel in Stafford up for sale

A former hotel in Stafford town centre has been put up for sale with an asking price of £2.5 million. Bridgewood House, on Earl Street, is being marketed by Christie & Co as a freehold sale.

The Grade II listed building has 72 en-suite bedrooms made up of single, double and triple rooms. Sales details say it has operated in recent years as a budget-style hotel with pod-style layouts and shared facilities including sitting rooms, kitchens and laundry rooms.

The property also includes a bar and restaurant space that previously traded as the Hogshead Public House, with room for 84 covers, as well as a commercial kitchen and prominent corner position in the town centre.

A building with a long mixed-use history

Comments released as part of the sale say the building has had a range of uses over the years. Owner Alexi Pittalis, of Jomaro Group, said his grandfather bought the building more than 20 years ago, and since then it has been used as a pub, cafe, restaurant, hotel, staff accommodation and student accommodation.

That helps explain why the building feels a bit different from a standard hotel. It has been adapted over time and now offers a large town centre site with a mix of accommodation and hospitality space.

It also previously housed asylum seekers

Bridgewood House was also used to accommodate asylum seekers, before that arrangement ended in February 2024. A statement published at the time said written confirmation had been received that no asylum seekers would be held there from that date.

There is also evidence from a Stafford Borough Council public inquiry document showing that 77 initial accommodation asylum seekers were being housed at Bridgewood House in 2023.

Who is selling it

The sale is being handled by Christie & Co, a specialist UK business property adviser. The firm says it works across sectors including hotels, pubs, leisure, care, childcare and retail.

Christie & Co’s Matt Hill is managing the sale. In comments released with the listing, he described Bridgewood House as a substantial property in a strong town centre location, with the bar and restaurant giving it an extra income stream alongside the bedrooms.

What the owners have said

Alexi Pittalis said:

“My grandfather bought this beautiful Grade II listed building over 20 years ago, and since then, it has been run as a pub, cafe, restaurant, hotel, staff and student accommodation, and more. What stands out is its prominent location in the heart of Stafford. It is an incredible opportunity for someone with vision. It's time to let it go so we can focus on our property portfolio in London.”

What could happen next

At this stage, the listing is for the existing building and business space, rather than a new redevelopment plan. So for now, what happens next will depend on who buys it and what they want to do with the site. That could mean it stays in hospitality, or it could take on another use later, subject to any permissions that might be needed. This last point is an inference based on the sale listing and the building’s mixed recent history.