The Old Bell Inn
The Old Bell Inn is an 18-bedroom country inn in Delph, Saddleworth, offering accommodation, a brasserie, restaurant, bar, and the world's largest gin collection to leisure travelers, regional diners, and private-event clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1870
- HeadquartersDelph, Saddleworth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Old Bell Inn does
The Old Bell Inn is an 18-bedroom country inn, brasserie, restaurant, and bar located in Delph, Saddleworth, in northern England. The property operates from a listed 18th-century coaching house established as an inn in 1870 and is privately owned by proprietor Philip Whiteman, with approximately 18 employees. The business is recognized as the Guinness World Record holder for housing the world's largest gin collection (1,100+ gins) and holds a 4-star AA rating and VisitEngland accreditation.
The inn generates revenue from multiple streams: overnight accommodation priced from £89 to £160 per night, food and beverage sales across its brasserie, restaurant, and bar, private events and functions, gift voucher sales, and a dedicated 'Gin Emporium' sub-brand. Reservations are processed directly via phone, email, and the inn's website, with Booking.com serving as a secondary distribution channel. Customer segments span leisure travelers, regional diners, gin enthusiasts, and small private-event clients.
The operation is supported by standard, low-complexity technology: a WordPress-based website, basic Google Analytics integration, and conventional hospitality booking tools. There is no evidence of proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, venture funding, or multi-site expansion. The business is owner-managed, privately held, and reliant on direct-to-consumer bookings and inbound regional tourism.
The Old Bell Inn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Old Bell Inn
- Legal name
- The Old Bell Inn
- Website
- https://theoldbellinn.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1870
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Old Bell Inn is an 18-bedroom country inn in Delph, Saddleworth, offering accommodation, a brasserie, restaurant, bar, and the world's largest gin collection to leisure travelers, regional diners, and private-event clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Old Bell Inn industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Boutique Hotel and Hospitality Services
- NAICS
- Bed-and-Breakfast Inns (721191), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Accommodation (721)
- SIC
- Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Historic Inns & Heritage B&Bs (THAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Boutique Inns (THAGAHAB), Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Heritage & Historic Boutique Hotels (THAGADAD)
Keywords
Where The Old Bell Inn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Delph, Saddleworth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Old Bell Inn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hotel Accommodation: 18-bedroom hotel with room rates ranging from £89 (single rooms) to £160 (superior doubles) per night, including full English breakfast. Deposit of £50 required at booking.
- Food & Beverage - Restaurant & Brasserie: Full-service restaurant and brasserie offering seasonal menus with locally sourced produce, sandwiches, snacks, and daily specials. The brasserie caters to working lunches while the restaurant serves evening diners. Private dining available for hire.
- Gin Emporium & Bar: Bar service featuring over 1100 gins, including standard, premium, and club class gin and tonic offerings. Gin masterclasses available. Guinness World Record holder for largest commercially available gin collection.
- Gift Vouchers & Events: Gift vouchers sold in denominations of £25, £50, or £100, redeemable against meals, drinks, or accommodation. Venue available for private events including weddings and celebrations.
- Private Event Hire: Restaurant available for exclusive hire for private or corporate functions such as wedding parties, christenings, and birthday celebrations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Single Room - £89/night; Double for single occupancy - £99/night |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Smaller Double - £140/night; Standard Double - £150/night; Superior Double - £160/night |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Z Bed Add-on - £25/night |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Gin & Tonic - 3 for £15, 5 for £22.50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Gin & Tonic - 3 for £22.50, 5 for £35 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Club Class Gin & Tonic - 3 for £25, 5 for £40 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Vouchers - £25, £50, or £100 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Old Bell Inn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Old Bell Inn is a heritage coaching house operating as an 18-bedroom boutique hotel with a Brasserie, a fine-dining Restaurant, a Bar, and a renowned Gin Emporium. It sells overnight accommodation (with full English breakfast), casual and fine-dining meals, an extensive gin range including tasting experiences, and hosts private events such as weddings and corporate functions.
Product overview
The Old Bell Inn is a traditional hospitality establishment offering a single integrated experience comprising hotel accommodation (18 bedrooms across multiple room categories), two dining venues (Brasserie for casual dining and Restaurant for fine dining), and a renowned Gin Emporium holding a Guinness World Record for the largest gin collection. The property also offers gift vouchers redeemable across all services. The venue can be hired for private events including weddings and corporate functions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gin Emporium: The Old Bell Inn's gin collection featuring over 1100 gins, holding the Guinness World Record for the largest number of gins commercially available. Includes gin masterclasses and various gin tasting experiences (Standard, Premium, and Club Class options).
Products and services
- Hotel Accommodation 18-bedroom four-star AA-rated and VisitEngland-accredited hotel accommodation in an 18th-century listed Coaching House in Delph, Saddleworth. Room types include single rooms, smaller doubles, standard doubles, superior doubles, and family rooms with Z bed add-ons (up to 5 adults per room), all including full English breakfast.
- Brasserie Casual dining offering an extensive menu including sandwiches and snacks, with free Wi-Fi for working lunch diners. Open Mon–Thu 12pm–8pm, Fri–Sat 12pm–9pm, Sunday 12pm–7pm.
Companies that use The Old Bell Inn
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Old Bell Inn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Old Bell Inn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Booking.comsecondaryOnline room availability listing on Booking.com platform. Allows third-party booking of hotel accommodation. Booking.com is a major online travel agency providing global distribution for hotel rooms.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Old Bell Inn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Wild Rabbit: Boutique Cotswolds inn with award-winning pub and rooms. Comparable as a heritage boutique inn pairing accommodation with a high-profile food and beverage offering.
- The Samling Hotel: Boutique heritage hotel in the Lake District with fine dining and small-room inventory. Comparable as a small luxury UK heritage property combining accommodation with elevated dining.
- Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons: Oxfordshire heritage country house hotel with Michelin-starred restaurant. Comparable as a heritage property where the dining experience is a primary differentiator alongside accommodation.
- The Hand and Flowers: Marlow gastropub with rooms holding multiple Michelin stars. Comparable as a small UK hospitality operator where the dining experience anchors accommodation demand.
- The Lygon Arms: Historic Cotswolds coaching inn with hotel rooms, multiple dining venues, and bar offerings. Comparable as a heritage UK coaching inn combining accommodation, F&B, and experiential hospitality.
- Gravetye Manor: Elizabethan manor house hotel in West Sussex with Michelin-starred restaurant and small room count. Comparable as a small heritage UK inn with fine dining as a key differentiator.
- The Pigs at Edgefield: Norfolk boutique pub with rooms offering accommodation and acclaimed dining. Comparable as a small independent UK inn combining restaurant, bar, and lodging in a village setting.
- The Scarlet Hotel: Independent boutique eco-hotel in Cornwall with on-site restaurant and bar. Comparable as an independently operated small boutique UK hotel combining accommodation with dining experience.
Broad incumbents
- Hotel du Vin: UK boutique hotel chain operating in historic buildings with strong food and wine programmes. Comparable as a heritage-positioned boutique accommodation + F&B operator, though at greater scale and chain breadth.
- The Gainsborough Bath Spa: Heritage Georgian hotel in Bath with spa, restaurant, and bar. Comparable as a heritage-listed UK hotel positioning dining and wellness experiences alongside accommodation, though at larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Old Bell Inn social profiles
Digital presenceThe Old Bell Inn compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Old Bell Inn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Old Bell Inn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Old Bell Inn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Old Bell Inn M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Old Bell Inn
What does The Old Bell Inn do?
The Old Bell Inn is a heritage coaching house operating as an 18-bedroom boutique hotel with a Brasserie, a fine-dining Restaurant, a Bar, and a renowned Gin Emporium. It sells overnight accommodation (with full English breakfast), casual and fine-dining meals, an extensive gin range including tasting experiences, and hosts private events such as weddings and corporate functions.
Is The Old Bell Inn a public or private company?
The Old Bell Inn is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Old Bell Inn founded?
The Old Bell Inn was founded in 1870. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Old Bell Inn based?
The Old Bell Inn is headquartered in Delph, Saddleworth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Old Bell Inn make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Hotel Accommodation is the primary driver. The others are food & Beverage - Restaurant & Brasserie, gin Emporium & Bar, gift Vouchers & Events and private Event Hire.
Who are The Old Bell Inn's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Wild Rabbit, The Samling Hotel, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, The Hand and Flowers, The Lygon Arms, Gravetye Manor, The Pigs at Edgefield and The Scarlet Hotel. Broad incumbents are Hotel du Vin and The Gainsborough Bath Spa.
Does The Old Bell Inn have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Old Bell Inn.
What industry is The Old Bell Inn in?
The Old Bell Inn's product category is Boutique Hotel and Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAHAC, Historic Inns & Heritage B&Bs, with a secondary code of THAGAHAB, Boutique Inns. Its NAICS code is 721191 and its SIC code is 7011.