 Owned by the Bracewell @-@ Smith family for a period until 1976 , The Ellerman Group of Companies purchased the hotel for £ 80 million from Trafalgar House in October 1995 . They spent eight years and £ 40 million restoring it to its former grandeur . In 2002 , it became the first hotel to receive a Royal warrant from HRH the Prince of Wales for its banquet and catering services . 
