The Brend Collection has officially reopened the Barnstaple Hotel, following a £2m refurbishment programme that was triggered by storm damage last year.
The hotel closed in March earlier this year after Storm Darragh caused significant damage to its roof in December 2024. The hotel remained open for five days after the storm to honour Christmas bookings before temporarily closing for the works.
While insurance covered most of the repairs, the Brend group chose to invest further in modernising the site. The works included updates to guest areas and a complete overhaul of the hotel’s health and leisure facilities.
The gym has been fitted with new equipment and a redesigned layout. A new exercise studio has also been added, with daily fitness classes now available to platinum and other tiered members.
The Arlington Suite, the hotel’s main function room, has been refurbished for weddings, events and conferences. Communal areas and corridors have also been updated.
Justin Brend, director of the Brend Collection, said: “We’re incredibly proud to reopen the Barnstaple Hotel after what has been a challenging but ultimately transformative period.
“The storm damage could have been purely negative, but thanks to the hard work and vision of our team, we’ve used it as an opportunity to invest in something better.”
The refurbishment was carried out by Pearce Construction, Barton Scaffolding and the hotel’s in-house maintenance team.
