Bradford's famous Victoria Hotel is in line for a £250,000 facelift.

The 60-bedroom hotel will get the improvement after being bought by Preston-based Brook Hotels, which already owns the George Hotel in Huddersfield.

And today the new owners said they saw the regeneration of the city centre and development of Vicar Lane leisure park, just yards away, as a major boost for the historic hotel.

Managing director Umesh Ummat said his company wanted the hotel to be closely involved with the community.

"In Huddersfield we are very much involved with Rugby League and would like similar links in Bradford," he added.

But Mr Ummat said the hotel's name would remain the same, apart from the trademark of the previous owners.

All the staff would be retained and they hoped to use local companies for the refurbishment, which would not change the hotel's character.

He said: "It will remain as it is but we would like to improve the food."

Brook Hotels has been in existence for 14 years and manages a large number of other hotels for different owners.

The Victoria is changing hands for the second time in four years after Friendly Hotels plc put it on the market in July, along with a number of other hotels owned by the group.

The Victoria was built by the Great Northern Railway Company and vied with the Midland as Bradford's premier hotel for many years.

Its future hung in the balance in 1952 when Bradford Corporation's Town Hall sub-committee considered buying the hotel - then named Great Northern Victoria Hotel - from British Railways and turning it into offices.

Guests have included a number of prime ministers, including Clement Attlee and Margaret Thatcher.

Among other famous guests were the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Wilfred Pickles, Arthur Lowe, Stanley Matthews, and even the Harlem Globetrotters.