Gough Hotels

What Gough Hotels does

Gough Hotels is a privately held, UK-based hospitality group operating The Angel Hotel, a 77-bedroom heritage property on Angel Hill overlooking the Abbey Gate in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, alongside sister property Salthouse Harbour Hotel and Spa in Ipswich. The Angel, refurbished in 2019, blends contemporary design with 12th-century character, anchored by individually designed bedrooms (Classic, Splendid, and Signature Ivy categories), The Eaterie restaurant led by local chef Arron, The Bar overlooking Angel Hill, and the atmospheric Underground Vaults — a series of 12th-century cellars repurposed as a unique dining and events venue. Weddings, private hire, and a recurring events calendar (Supper Clubs, Sounds of The Underground, wine dinners, themed afternoon teas) complement the core accommodation and F&B offerings, with literary heritage tied to Charles Dickens (who wrote The Pickwick Papers at the hotel) reinforcing brand positioning around the 'foodie capital of Suffolk'.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model with no disclosed OTA or third-party distribution dependency. Revenue is generated through four streams: hotel accommodation (per-night room rates by category), food and beverage across The Eaterie, The Bar, and The Vaults (including set menus such as Early Evening Express at £35pp and Fish, Chips and Sips at £25pp), private hire and events for weddings and corporate gatherings, and gift voucher sales. The technology stack consists of standard hospitality SaaS — Profitroom for room bookings, ResDiary for table reservations, Giftpro for voucher e-commerce — with UP Hotel Agency credited as website developer. No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or data-driven personalisation systems are disclosed.

Name

Gough Hotels

Legal name

The Angel Hotel (Bury St Edmunds Hotel Company)

Website

https://goughhotels.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gough Hotels is a privately held UK hospitality group operating The Angel Hotel, a 77-bedroom heritage property in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and sister property Salthouse Harbour Hotel in Ipswich, serving leisure travellers, wedding couples, and local diners through accommodation, F&B, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Boutique Hotels

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Traveler Accommodation (7211)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic & Heritage Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Heritage & Palace Luxury Hotels (THAGACAF)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel accommodation
• Wedding venue services
• Fine dining restaurant
• Private event hire
• Historic hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury St Edmunds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodation: Revenue from overnight stays across 77 individually designed bedrooms, including Classic, Splendid, and Signature Ivy categories. Rooms are booked directly via the website booking engine or phone reservations.
2. Food and Beverage: Revenue from The Eaterie restaurant, The Bar, The Underground Vaults dining venue, afternoon tea, Sunday roasts, and private dining events. Also includes the Early Evening Express Menu (£35pp), Fish, Chips and Sips (£25pp), and wedding breakfast packages.
3. Private Hire and Events: Revenue from private hire of event spaces (The Vaults, The Green Room, The Eaterie) for weddings, celebrations, birthdays, corporate events, and special occasions such as supper clubs and live music events.
4. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers and experience packages through the hotel's giftpro portal, including dinner-for-two, afternoon tea, and express set menu vouchers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gough Hotels operates The Angel Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel in Bury St Edmunds offering 77 individually designed bedrooms, multiple dining venues (The Eaterie restaurant, The Bar, and The Underground Vaults in 12th-century cellars), and event services including weddings, private hire, and supper clubs. The hotel blends contemporary style with historic character and is positioned as the premier hospitality destination in the 'foodie capital of Suffolk'.

Product overview

The Angel Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel operated by Gough Hotels, located in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The property offers a unified hospitality experience combining accommodation (77 individually designed bedrooms across Signature Ivy, Splendid Ivy, Classic Ivy, Splendid, and Classic categories), dining (The Eaterie restaurant, The Bar, and The Vaults underground dining in 12th-century cellars), and events (weddings, private hire, and regular events including Supper Clubs and live music). Additional services include afternoon tea, special dining menus (Early Evening Express, Fish & Chips & Sips), and gift vouchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rooms & Suites Luxury accommodation featuring 77 individually designed bedrooms across Classic, Splendid, and Signature Ivy categories. Rooms include complimentary WiFi, Smart TV, 24-hour room service, and parking; Signature Ivy rooms feature Abbey Gate views and free-standing baths.
• The Eaterie Restaurant Main hotel restaurant serving A La Carte contemporary British cuisine with seasonal emphasis for lunch and dinner. Features a striking dining room with historic charm and modern interior design overlooking Angel Hill and Abbey Gate, with menus celebrating Suffolk produce crafted by local chef Arron.
• The Bar Hotel bar with a copper-topped bar offering views over Angel Hill, serving creative cocktails (some inspired by Charles Dickens characters), fine wines, local draught beers, and bar snacks. Operates on a walk-in basis with no reservations.
• The Underground Vaults Atmospheric 12th-century medieval cellars repurposed as a unique dining venue for intimate dinners, Sunday lunches, supper clubs, wine dinners, and live music events. Described as one of Suffolk's most distinctive dining venues.
• Weddings Intimate wedding and elopement services positioned steps from the Bury St Edmunds Registry Office. Includes wedding breakfasts, drinks receptions, private dining spaces, on-site accommodation for the couple and guests, and access to photography settings including Abbey Gate, Abbey Gardens, and the ivy-clad hotel exterior.
• Events & What's On Programmed calendar of hospitality events including Supper Club evenings, 'Sounds of The Underground' live music nights, wine dinners, and special seasonal dining events held throughout the year.
• Private Hire Private event venue hire for celebrations, birthday parties, weddings, and private gatherings across unique event spaces including The Vaults, The Eaterie, and the Green Room, accommodating up to 28 guests for intimate occasions.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers and experience packages sold via the dedicated Giftpro portal (theangel.giftpro.co.uk), including dinner-for-two, afternoon tea, and express set menu vouchers for stays and dining experiences.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UP Hotel AgencyminorOthersUP Hotel Agency is credited as the website developer on the footer of theangel.co.uk. The agency appears to provide digital services (website development and management) for the hotel, as indicated by the 'Website by UP HOTEL AGENCY' footer attribution and the 'UP Core logo' referenced in the site's navigation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The George Hotel of Stamford: A historic coaching inn turned luxury hotel in Lincolnshire. Comparable as a heritage English town hotel offering rooms, dining, weddings, and event hire with similar mid-luxury positioning.
• Tuddenham Mill Hotel: An independent boutique Suffolk hotel in a converted mill. Comparable as a heritage-converted luxury property of similar scale in the East Anglia region, focusing on F&B, weddings, and short-break leisure trade.
• The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa: A luxury heritage hotel in Lavenham, Suffolk, operating as part of the Luxury Family Hotels collection. Comparable as an East Anglian historic boutique hotel serving leisure travellers, weddings, and F&B guests with similar room counts and heritage positioning.
• Hotel Felix Cambridge: An independent boutique hotel in a Victorian mansion in Cambridge. Comparable as an East-of-England heritage luxury boutique hotel with similar F&B and event programming.
• The Ickworth Hotel: A luxury family heritage hotel in Suffolk operated within the Luxury Family Hotels group. Directly comparable as a regional East Anglian heritage property offering rooms, fine dining, family experiences, and events.
• Salthouse Harbour Hotel and Spa: Sister property operated by Gough Hotels in Ipswich. A boutique hotel with spa offering in a heritage waterside setting, sharing The Angel's brand, distribution model, and customer base across East Anglia.
• Maison Talbooth Hotel: A luxury country house hotel in Dedham, Essex, part of the Milsoms Group. Comparable as a regional heritage boutique hotel offering rooms, dining, weddings, and private hire with similar price positioning.

Broad incumbents

• The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels: A historic Oxford luxury hotel operated by the Graduate Hotels collection. Comparable as a heritage city-centre hotel with strong F&B and event business, but at larger scale and under a wider brand portfolio.
• Sopwell House: A larger luxury country house hotel in Hertfordshire. Comparable in heritage-luxury positioning and F&B-led guest experience, though at greater scale and with more extensive spa and conference facilities.
• Hand Picked Hotels: A UK collection of country house and heritage hotels. Comparable as a wider portfolio of heritage luxury hotels offering rooms, dining, weddings, and spa experiences — broader scale than The Angel but operating in the same niche.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AngelHotelBury
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheAngelHotelBury
• Instagraminstagram.com/angel_hotel_bury
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gough-hotels

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gough Hotels