THINK of Bury, then a hotel and the odds are you'll come up with the name Bolholt.

And that's hardly surprising considering the Walshaw retreat, set in 50 acres, has been a popular venue for more than 30 years.

Now, the Bolholt has just completed a significant expansion with the acquisition of the Old Mill Hotel, Ramsbottom.

And with the Old Mill undergoing a £1.5 million refurbishment, the complex is well placed to play an even more dominant role in Ramsbottom's tourism boom.

Stefan Sikorski, Bolholt Country Park Hotel managing director, freely admits that in previous years the Old Mill was deemed "the opposition".

He said: "We enjoyed a friendly rivalry, and a good-natured one. The reason we acquired the Old Mill was, quite simply, because we wanted to expand.

"We thought it as being a good strategic move to buy the hotel."

The 37-bedroom Old Mill was bought from Mrs Karen Sacco, who had run it since 1987. Mr Sikorski soon launched an ambitious refurbishment programme for the new acquisition, with changes to the reception and the ddition of a new cafe bar.

Other work will involve improving the leisure facilities, building a new gym and installing new equipment.

"We also propose an extension to the leisure side of the hotel, but we'll have to apply for planning permission. Hopefully, that should on stream by next spring."

The Old Mill has a three-star rating and, like the Bolholt, is a popular venue for weddings and other functions. Mr Sirkorski went on: "Ramsbottom has emerged as the tourism centre of the borough of Bury and I want our hotel to be at the forefront of that."

Day-to-day running of the Bolholt and the Old Mill is handled by Simon Doughty who, as general manager, has responsibility for the operation of both sites which together employ more than 100 staff.

He joined the Bolholt 13 years ago as a kitchen porter. Later, as he moved up the promotion ladder, he became head chef before being appointed to his present post.

Mr Sikorski says that over the years, he has been involved in a "diverse" range of separate property interests.

And he doesn't rule out further hotel-related acquisitions in the future.

"But these will be outside Bury," he stresses, "as far as hotel and leisure facilities here are considered, I think we've reached saturation point."

The Bolholt, which has its own heli-pad, was established in 1969 as a seven-bedroom hotel by Mr Sikorski's parents, Stanislaw and Wilma.

Now, 32 years later, the site has 65 bedrooms as well as the Stables leisure club.

Despite numerous tentative approaches from prospective buyers over the years, Mr Sikorski has fiercely defended the Bolholt's family-run status by ignoring all offers to sell.

"It's been passed down from generation to generation and I look forward to handing it down to the next generation," he says.