Luxury manor hotel the Newt is reshaping UK's best place to live

-Credit: (Image: Western Daily Press)
-Credit: (Image: Western Daily Press)


Castle Cary is a friendly town tucked into the heart of the Somerset countryside. Where the town once, many centuries ago, had the titular castle overlooking it, there is now an equally grand building defining its future.

The Newt in Somerset opened in August 2019 and has recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Described as a "place of wonderment" on its website, the Newt boasts a 17th century manor house, a cyder brewery, a spa, a medieval herb garden, and even a replica Roman villa.

Guests are beckoned to its doors by a number of activities harkening back to a simpler bygone era: visitors can learn how to prune late summer fruits, the basics of butchering lamb, and the art of dry stonewalling. It's a hotel the lords and ladies of the lost castle would have been envious of.

READ MORE:We visited UK's best place to live and found it to be a picturesque gem

READ MORE:I ate at South West restaurant high above stunning beach and it was incredible

But what do the residents think of the grand estate on their doorstep? People I spoke to in Castle Cary this week had a diverse range of opinions – when we visited following the news it had been named as the best place to live in the UK - but everyone seemed to have one.

John, co-owner of the bespoke curtain making and homeware shop Needful Things, spoke warmly of the hotel. He noted the employment opportunities and footfall it brought to the town, as well as some truly impressive renovations.

He said: "They've really done a marvellous job on the grounds. There's so much to do up there. They've even built a roman villa.

"We knew there was a mosaics floor discovered there, so they dug that up, put a museum on top and right next door built a roman villa. It's got all the painted murals, hot baths in there and everything."

John continued: "That's got to help the economy to employ 600 odd people. They're doing everything very tastefully, I think it's good news for the town. Any excuse to come to this part of the world, as a retailer, we're really pleased!"

However, the hotel's alleged purchases of various properties and land has left others feeling disenchanted. Pip, who manages The George Hotel in the centre of town, said: "My husband is Castle Cary born and bred. He has fond memories of tobogganing down a hill...We couldn't do that with our children now." When I asked about the empty shop front, Pip made a prediction: "Give it five years: almost every other shop on the high street will have Newt branding."

Scarlett, who works at the trendy café Burnt Honey has largely embraced the hotel but had a few reservations: "I like the fact that The Newt's there. They brought a lot of income to the local area through tourism and job opportunities."

She went on to note the alleged tensions between the hotel and some of Castle Cary's residents: "There is a side of it where I feel the local people don't get listened to in regards to expansion. With buying up different fields and public foot paths, I appreciate they're a monopoly of a business and they want to make the most of it.

"Ultimately, that will happen regardless. People have grievances not so much with what they're doing it but how they're doing it."