Family run hotel celebrates 65 years in Buxton

The Millican family got the keys to the Lee Wood Hotel back in March 1958 and 65 years on it is still being run by the same family.

John Millican is the son of Margaret and Derwent, former hoteliers of the Pen Dennis in Buxton. They were given the Lee Wood to run by Margaret’s step father, who made his fortune buying old ships after the war for scrap metal.

John said: “The Lee Wood was built in 1830 and became a hotel in 1860 four years before the Palace hotel was built making this the oldest hotel in Buxton.

“And to still be a family run business after 65 years is something to be proud of.”John, 71, trained in Lausanne, Switzerland then took over the reins in 1979 after returning from opening international hotels in West Africa.

He said: “So much has changed since I started.

“Back in the day we were making bookings with a pencil and rubber and now everything is fully automated.”

He said the hotel, which is now run by his daughter and son-in-law, Nicola and Owen Longden since 2007 has always worked closely with Buxton Opera House

He said: “My mother was key in bringing the opera house back into use in the 1970s and now we are seeing more international guests who travel here for the festival and the fringe festival.”

The Lee Wood has been a Best Western Hotel for 40 years and John has been the chair and UK president for the group between 1998 and 2002 and again on the board from 2011.

This year, following a recent unannounced inspection the Lee Wood gained its seventh consecutive year of the Best Western International Quality Award achieving an overall accreditation of 97per cent placing the hotel in the top 20 per cent of the global Best Western brand.

John said: “That is an amazing achievement and one we are all proud of.

“None of these achievements would have been possible if it was not for the outstanding dedication, loyalty and friendly professionalism of the hotel team both past and present. They should all be immensely proud of their contribution and I thank them for it.”

"In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together." – Phil Bramley, editor.