Reopening date confirmed for Bishop Auckland’s Park Head Hotel

13th December 2022

The Auckland Project has announced the much-anticipated reopening date for the Park Head Hotel and Restaurant in Bishop Auckland.

The regeneration charity, which works to bring about positive and lasting change for those living, working and visiting Bishop Auckland, purchased the popular hotel and restaurant in May 2021.

With an extensive top-down refurbishment well underway, bookings for overnight stays and enquiries for functions and events are now being taken from February 1, 2023.

General Manager, Andrew Hogg, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce the opening date for the newly refurbished Park Head Hotel and Restaurant.

“The hotel has been at the heart of the local community for many years, and we are excited to welcome guests from near and far to both the hotel and restaurant in the New Year.”

Offering 38 en-suite bedrooms, the Park Head Hotel will give a welcome boost to the overnight stay options for those visiting Bishop Auckland – encouraging people from outside the area to make the most of their time in Durham. 

Meanwhile the 80-cover Oak Room Restaurant and Bar will ensure local people and visitors to the town are well catered for thanks to a range of tempting menus, brimming with local produce including fruit and vegetables grown in the Walled Garden of nearby Auckland Castle.

Bookings for dining experiences will be opening soon.

From daily breakfasts and light lunchtime options to generous Sunday lunches, the Oak Room kitchen team are promising ‘timeless classics with a twist’.

It’s not only the interior of the Park Head Hotel which is being transformed, guests will also be invited to enjoy the newly-landscaped outdoor spaces during their time there.

Design consultant, Sarah Fortin Townsend who has been overseeing the refurbishment from the start, said: “While we want to provide visitors with quality accommodation, beautifully wholesome food and a warm welcome, making sure the Park Head continues to be an important place for local residents of Bishop Auckland has remained paramount throughout the project.

“It will be wonderful to see the Park Head come to life again in the new year and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to explore and enjoy everything it has to offer.”