A HOTEL which dates back more than 500 years has been bought in a £3million deal.

Mitton Hall, in Mitton, near Whalley, is set for major investment after being bought by the company behind a Clitheroe restaurant.

Emporia Leisure, which owns The Emporium, a brasserie and wine bar in Moor Lane, said it plans to turn the hotel into one of the best in the North West.

Mitton Hall is the latest addition to Emporia Leisure's property portfolio and joins the Waddington Arms pub, Waddington, and a collection of holiday cottages in the same village.

The hotel, in Mitton Road, was owned by Bacup-based Bocholt Developments Ltd, which bought the property in 1999 and which also owns Rhythm Station night club in Rawtenstall.

As part of the deal, the property will undergo a major refurbishment', including an upgrade of the building's interior décor, bedrooms, terraces and gardens.

Emporia chiefs hope the hotel, which is renowned as a venue for weddings, will become a major restaurant and bar destination as well as a place to stay.

James Warburton, director of Emporia Leisure, said: "Mitton Hall is one of the Ribble Valley's most beautiful properties and we are delighted to have secured this deal.

"The building itself is in great condition for its age and we plan to improve its presentation by making some significant changes to the décor and surroundings."

Mitton Hall was built by Ralph de Catterall in 1487 during the reign of Henry VII, the first Tudor Monarch.

The Hall was home to several of the area's most prominent families during the next few hundred years, before being used as the HQ of the Third Field Regiment during World War Two.

In 1967 Wilfred Burill, owner of the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, converted the hotel in to an exclusive club with swimming pool and casino.

By 1980 the building had been bought by Guy's Eating Establishment and became a hotel and restaurant.