A Grade II listed hotel has been bought by a hospitality group two years after its former owners fell into administration.

The 23-bed Royal Victoria & Bull Hotel in Dartford, which is the town’s oldest inn, has been snapped up by South Coast Inns, which owns eight hotels and inns.

The town-centre venue had been owned by the troubled Tattershall Castle Group, which collapsed into administration in 2015.

Shortly afterwards the group sold 53 pubs to Stonegate Pub Company but continued to trade six sites including the Royal Victoria & Bull until auctioneer Christie & Co brokered the sale this month.

Dating from 1703, it has many period features including the vaulted gallery in the main bar which originally would have been around the carriage archway.

The West Sussex-based South Coast Inns is run by hotel industry veterans Chris and Delia Chapman and their son Sam.

It was formed following the sale of the Chapman Group in November 2016, which formerly owned and managed 28 hotels and pubs in the south of England.

It was sold to Dominion Hospitality, an affiliate of Stellex Capital Management, a private equity group that invests in middle market companies, in a deal also brokered by Christie & Co.

The auctioneer’s associate director Anthony Jenkins said: “We were delighted to assist Chris and Delia in the expansion of South Coast Inns’ portfolio.

“The market is currently strong for pubs with rooms with many parties – from growing multiple operators to first-time entrants – keen to acquire.

“We’re sure they’ll make a great success of their latest acquisition and wish them the best of luck for the future.”