A country house hotel saved by a local businessman has had £100,000 invested into it to turn its fortunes around.

Dovecliff Hall Hotel has since hosted many weddings for Burton and South Derbyshire couples which otherwise may not have taken place.

Less than a year ago, the grade-two-listed building in Stretton, was facing an uncertain future when previous operators Abbot Grange Ltd collapsed into administration after running up creditor debts of £684,167.

Anton Jenkins, one of the founding directors at Burton-based pharmaceuticals firm Clinigen, has been busy breathing new life back into the hotel after buying the business last summer in a move which saved 18 jobs.

Since then, the Dovecliff, which has 15 rooms and is set in six acres of grounds overlooking the River Dove, has gone from strength to strength.

Mr Jenkins revealed the thought of taking on Dovecliff Hall had appealed to him because of his previous visits to the venue with Clinigen, a business which specialises in providing patients access to medicines globally and employs 800 people with offices worldwide.

Anton Jenkins saved the venue in the summer

He said: "We used to use Dovecliff Hall for board meetings and as a hotel for overnight stays. It was particularly popular with our overseas guests.

"Whenever we had Clinigen meetings, I used to look forward to the ones at the Dovecliff because it was such a beautiful setting - and the scones with jam and cream mid-afternoon set it apart!

"When staying overnight in Burton, the Dovecliff was my first choice. So, when I heard that it was on the market, it wasn’t such a huge step - or so I thought!

"I think that a lot of the people that stay in or visit hotels have a secret hotelier in them. We have been making a point of asking overnight guests and diners what improvements they would make - some great ideas have come forward."

Dovecliff Hall marks Mr Jenkins’ first foray into the hospitality sector - and he admits that it has been something of a learning curve.

He said: "It certainly has been an experience so far. But we are very motivated to reshape the business and get it back on an even keel."

Dovecliff Hall is steeped in history

The turnaround plan for the business began with an investment of £100,000 into the property.

Some of the rooms have been refurbished, with new super king-sized beds and luxury bedding. Meanwhile, unseen improvements, such as the updated electrics, have been carried out.

But, at the same time, the new owners have had to cover the cost of a legacy left behind by the previous operators.

Mr Jenkins said: "One of the real challenges has been to honour all of the wedding bookings where the vast majority of the funds had been lost to the previous owners.

"We have now honoured most of those weddings and taken the vast majority of the cost burden, which was the right thing to do - but it has been a real financial burden."

Many of the rooms at the hotel have been revamped

Despite this, investment in the Dovecliff will continue into the future. Further cash will be spent on the rooms while attention will be turned to improve public areas and create a new bar area.

Mr Jenkins said: "We have a programme of ongoing improvements and it is really nice to hear the positive comments from guests to the changes so far.

"We are working through the refurbishment plan to make Dovecliff Hall a place that people really like to go to. Our aim is to make it a home from home."

Today, the Dovecliff employs 24 people, most of whom had worked under the previous owners. The general manager is Ian Gelling who Mr Jenkins said has "a wealth of experience from a lifelong career in the hotel industry".

And the head chef is Philippe Edmond, who started at the Dovecliff in 2005.

Mr Jenkins said: "It is quite amazing how the Dovecliff generates such a level of loyalty among its staff. We want to build on that so that anyone that visits really enjoys the experience - a great team is an essential part of that."

As well as offering food, drink and accommodation, the Dovecliff can cater for weddings, meetings and conferences of varying sizes.

Head chef Phillipe Edmond has worked at the Dovecliff since 2005

Mr Jenkins said: "We are rebuilding the wedding business. The Dovecliff is particularly suited and popular for exclusive-use weddings, where the wedding party can take over the entire hall, bedrooms and grounds making it theirs for the day.

"It is encouraging with the number of new and growing businesses in the Burton area that some companies are using us an overflow meeting room, which is a bit different than the norm - we regularly have meetings for two but we could manage up to 150 guests. It is amazing how varied the requests are.

"We are very keen for the Dovecliff to be at the centre of the local community and to be the place for family celebrations - whether small or large.

"Many clients from the area never fail to mention that the Dovecliff used to be one of the foremost restaurants in the area. We are looking at our offering to see if we can re-establish in this department because it’s such a great venue."

Dovecliff Hall is a building steeped in history. A Georgian manor house dating back to 1790, it was built for the family of Thomas Thornewill.

In the 19th century, it was owned by Lord Bass who made many contributions to Burton, including the Ferry Bridge.

In 1928 the house was opened as a hotel but reverted back to a private house when it was bought by Colonel Sharpe in 1936.

The house was bought and sold several times until 1987, when it was purchased and renamed as the Dovecliff Hall Hotel by a consortium headed by Nick Hine.

The grounds of Dovecliff Hall Hotel

It is set in substantial grounds, containing established natural woodland and borders the River Dove. The hotel has recently started working with the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and local conservation experts to manage its grounds and survey its wildlife.

Mr Jenkins said: "Our overall aim is to restore the Dovecliff to its former glory, making it an elegant yet informal hotel.

"We wish to build on the wedding business and also to continue to forge local links both with the local community and local businesses.

"The team are a key part of the Dovecliff and we have made good contacts with the local schools and colleges, looking at students interested in a career in hospitality or even just experience of working in a local business.

"The transformation of the Dovecliff is not yet complete - but we are on the up and definitely back on the map. We are excited for the developments that 2018 will bring."