ONE of the country's top chefs and his wife are behind the buy-out of an historic Ribble Valley hostelry.

Steven and Marjorie Doherty have taken over the popular Spread Eagle Hotel in picturesque Sawley.

The ten-bedroom riverside hotel was in the hands of the Trueman family for decades and has been on the market for some time.

Steven is former head chef at the famous Le Gavroche restaurant, Mayfair, owned by the Roux brothers.

He trained at the Savoy Hotel, London, and has also worked at the Grand Hotel, Amsterdam. Marjorie comes from a management background and has worked at the Dorchester Hotel in a personnel capacity and for Roux Restaurants, London.

The couple, who own Lakeland Traditional Inns with two silent partners, are also mine hosts at the Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite, near Kendal.

They "fell in love with the Ribble Valley" and hope to create "something different" at the top hostelry, Marjorie said.

The establishment is due to reopen this weekend after being closed for refurbishment and further changes to the decor will be introduced over the coming months.

"It will certainly be different and exciting things are definitely planned for the menu, " said Marjorie added.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.