Bradley family celebrate 40 years running top North East hotel loved by stars including Bob Monkhouse
A family have marked 40 years of running a plush local hotel steeped in history.
The Bradley family, once well-known garage owners in Blackhall and Peterlee, have owned the Hardwicke Hall Manor Hotel, at Blackhall Colliery, for the last four decades.
With the arrival of 2026, brothers Alan and David Bradley, along with their wives Susan and Alison, have marked 40 years of running the Grade II-listed hotel.
Over the centuries, the manor passed through the hands of wealthy families and, later the National Coal Board, before being transformed into a hotel in the 1980s.
It is steeped in history and brimming with period features, including a priest’s hole dating back to the Catholic Reformation of the 16th century.
The Bradleys recalled memorable visits from celebrities including legendary TV host Bob Monkhouse, who often stayed there when in the region for live shows and television engagements. “Bob loved it here and we loved him,” said Alan. “He enjoyed his Glenfiddich whisky and we always greeted him with a glass on his arrival.
"He was fascinated by the history of the hotel and fantastic with the customers, chatting and signing autographs.”
Lots of panto stars and football greats Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves were among its regular visitors.
But generations of customers have been the heart of Hardwicke Hall’s story, said the family.
Alan added: “We feel honoured to have been asked by so many families to take care of their special occasions as they’ve made special memories and milestones in our hotel.
“We’ve held different generations of weddings here, and each year brings more.
"Families often reflect on their own history, sometimes even showing us treasured photos from special occasions celebrated here.
"It’s hard to imagine how many lives this special building has touched in such a unique way.”
The family said they have had a ball and survived the devastating Covid crisis that hit the hospitality industry so badly.
Alan said: “Forty years have gone in a flash, and the next one will be the half-century mark for us as a family.
"Our children work with us here and it would be wonderful to be celebrating the big 50 in 2036.”