Caistor Hall, off Stoke Road in Caister St Edmund, has been purchased by Quadmark Group.

The company was founded in Singapore and provides sales, product and leadership training for staff at technology companies, with clients including Google and OpenAI.

Caistor Hall has been sold by Brasted’s to Quadmark (Image: Denise Bradley)

Current owners Brasted’s, which purchased the 20-bedroom hotel in 2021, said it will honour existing bookings.

The Norfolk catering and events company said the decision to leave Caistor Hall was due to the “extremely difficult issues” facing the hospitality industry since the pandemic, compounded by planning restrictions at the site.

The Michelin-starred restaurant Mark Poynton at Caistor Hall will remain open as usual.

"It is against this background that we have taken the decision that the best course of action for our business is to leave Caistor Hall," said Nick Mills, Brasted’s managing director.

"We are disappointed that we have not been able to realise the dreams and objectives we had for the hotel and its 32 acres.

“This has generated the need for a completely new direction for this beautiful Georgian property, and we are delighted and reassured that the new owners will preserve its wonderful heritage.”

Brasted's directors Chris Busby (left) and Nick Mills (Image: Denise Bradley)

Caistor Hall and its grounds are subject to several layers of planning control and consents from South Norfolk Council.

The wider area includes designated heritage assets and the remains of the Roman town Venta Icenorum nearby, meaning archaeology and heritage setting are key planning constraints for future expansion or projects.

Quadmark Group was founded in Singapore 25 years ago and provides training for tech companies.

The company says it will transform Caistor Hall into its first UK-based learning hub, bringing together its teams and clients from around the world for immersive learning experiences, collaboration and skill building.

Caistor Hall, off Stoke Road in Caister St Edmund, Norfolk (Image: Denise Bradley)

Quadmark employs 100 people worldwide with clients including Google and OpenAI and an annual turnover of approximately £13.5 million.

Helen Earl, Quadmark’s CEO, who grew up in Norfolk, said: “I have always loved Caistor Hall, so the opportunity to bring it into our business was incredibly special.

“While we operate as a highly distributed, global company, we’ve consistently seen that some of the most meaningful learning happens when people come together in the right environment.

"Spaces designed for thinking, reflection and collaboration can unlock a very different level of learning and performance.

Helen Earl, Quadmark Group CEO (Image: Mitzi de Margary)

“Caistor Hall gives us the opportunity to create that kind of environment. Our ambition is to develop a space where our teams and clients can step away from the day-to-day and focus on building real capability together.

“I am very conscious that Caistor Hall is a much-loved landmark in Norfolk and we are committed to preserving its character and heritage, which is a big part of what attracted us to it. At the same time, we’re excited to create a learning hub that brings people from around the world into the region and contributes positively to the local economy.”

Caister Hall at Caistor St Edmund in Norfolk (Image: Denise Bradley)

Caistor Hall was built between 1795 and 1797, during the reign of King George III, by the Dashwood family.

The site can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest and originally belonged to the abbey at Bury St Edmunds until it was confiscated during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the rule of King Henry VIII, between 1536 and 1541.

Caistor Manor and the land was then passed to the Godslave family, who owned it until the early 1600s, before it was later passed to the Pettus family.

Through marriage the land became the property of the Dashwoods in 1793. The first recorded owner was Horatio Dashwood who lived in the hall with his wife Harriet and their children.

It opened as a hotel and country club in 1948.

© Eastern Daily Press