A BUSINESSWOMAN who started her career as a hotel receptionist 20 years ago has returned to her roots -- to BUY a hotel.

Jan Hampton has bought Egerton house Hotel, in Blackburn Road, Egerton, for £1.7million.

The 41-year-old snapped up the three-star hotel with the help of a private backer.

The former Castle Hill School pupil who now lives in Ramsbottom says she wants to bring "a touch of luxury" to the hotel.

Miss Hampton, who grew up in Astley Bridge and Bromley Cross, said: "The response I have received has been fantastic. I walked in here on December 18 and it was manic with all the Christmas parties.

"We are all Northern people here and we are all friendly staff. I have to have a laugh at work because I'm not a serious person.

"I want people to be relaxed when they come here but I want a touch of elegance about the place too.

"I have met people who have been coming to the hotel for 20 years who say it feels like their second home."

Egerton House is unlikely to be the end of the Hampton empire.

Once she has the hotel on its feet, she plans to buy out her backer and purchase other hotels in the area.

And that could be good news for local businesses, since Miss Hampton firmly believes in supporting Bolton firms.

She has hired an accountant who lives in Egerton, spends her spare time at Esporta gym and chooses to shop in Bolton rather than Manchester.

Miss Hampton started work as a receptionist at a hotel in Scotland and worked her way up at different hotel groups to the front-of-house manager.

She moved to the sales and marketing side of the business, working at the Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester and the Royal York in York.

After being made redundant from positions of as personal development director at the Palace Hotel, Manchester, and UK sales director for Ramada Jarvis, Miss Hampton decided to go it alone and bought Egerton House.

She said: "I have a reputation for having extremely high standards, which will come across.

"It is the little touches that people remember and I think private ownership gives you that personal touch.

"There should be fresh flowers at the breakfast table, real butter rather than in packets and a personal alarm service rather than an automated message.

"I want to bring that touch of luxury to Egerton House."