THE largest leisure complex in the Forest of Dean, including an 18 hole golf course and 53 bed hotel, has been sold in a deal believed to be worth close to £3m.
Ownership of Bells Hotel and the Forest of Dean Golf and Bowls Club in Coleford is understood to have formally changed hands last Friday – passing from Forest entrepreneur, Harry Kear, to North of England Estates, a Gosforth based company specialising in the development and running of hotels and golf courses.
In an exclusive interview with the Review North of England's Chairman, Clive McKeag, said they have ambitious plans to turn the course into one of the top places to play in the country.
"We have major plans for the Bells complex as it has lots of potential, but these will take a couple of years to come to fruition," says Mr McKeag, a practising lawyer.
"If something requires money to update or improve it, it will be.
"When I first saw the course earlier this year it was covered with snow, but I could still see the potential in the site. We are not rushing into anything, we want to see how the place works and our improvements will evolve as needed."
Mr McKeag has a strong sporting background – his father and brother were both chairmen of Newcastle United Football Club and his brother, Gordon, was elected president of the Football League.
After spending the weekend at Bells with his board of directors, Mr McKeag said: "The course here totally exceeds all our expectations. With the sun shining on it I believe it could become one of the top clubs in the country, and definitely one of the most popular golf courses to play on.
"There is no point standing still in this world. We are aiming high and intend looking around to purchase similar complexes elsewhere in Britain to bring into our expanding stable with Bells as the flagship centre.
"As for Bells itself, I would like to emulate the success of the Wentworth Club in Surrey, the creme de la creme of golf clubs, and host some of the smaller PGA and other golfing tournaments.
"But at the same time I don't want to take away the facility from local people. I hope they will embrace the club and its changes and interact with it in the future.
"I believe Bells is in great shape and has excellent facilities and great potential for the future. I am aiming for it to become the destination of choice for golfers around the country and a star attraction in the world of short breaks to the Forest of Dean with our top class hotel and facilities."
Day to day running of the golf club and hotel complex will be overseen by Nigel Galvin, a former professional golfer.
•The combination of Bells Hotel and the golf and bowls club make it the largest leisure complex in the Dean. The hotel has 53 en-suite bedrooms and three cottages. The golf course, first established in 1973, is home to the West Region PGA Forest Classic, an Order of Merit Event, which will be played this August.
The Hotel also boasts a county standard bowling green along with a recently opened four rink short mat bowls centre.