Three Tuns Hotel put up for sale

THE Three Tuns Hotel at Bungay has been put on the market by its owners at an asking price of £375,000.

The historic town-centre hotel closed suddenly last month, with the tenants of two shop units in the premises being given notice.

The medieval banquets and a fancy dress costume hire businesses based there are also having to find alternative premises.

At the time, owner Admiral Taverns, based in Hertfordshire, said it had closed the prominent hotel while it looked at options for its future.

Now the hotel is on the market and is being sold freehold through London estate agents Greene and Co.

This week a spokesman for Greene's could only confirm that the asking price was £375,000, but they also said there had been a lot of interest in the property already.

“We have had loads of inquiries, but there are no other details about it,” he said.

The Three Tuns is Bungay's oldest hotel, dating back at least to 1540. It stands in the Market Place and also borders Earsham Street and Broad Street.

It began hosting medieval banquets about 30 years ago and they have become a tourist attraction, being held in the first-floor function hall.

The premises also include a large main bar, and a downstairs cellar bar which incorp-orates walls which are believed to be part of the original walls of Bungay Castle.

There is second-floor living accommodation in the building.

It is believed to be haunted by a monk who hid there following the dissolution of the monasteries, and an exorcism of his ghost was carried out there in the 1970s.

The two retail shop premises which are part of the large building front on to Earsham Street. Until the closure, they were occupied by the Bungay Toy and Gift Emporium and Four Seasons ladies fashion shop. Both businesses have relocated to other premises in Earsham Street.