The Kings Hotel at Priestgate, Darlington town centre, has just been awarded a civil ceremonies licence by Darlington Borough Council.

The hotel, owned by Cairn Hotel Group, will now be able to host civil ceremonies in its Pullman Lounge and Ballroom, which were transformed as part of an £8m makeover in October 2012.

The 60-seater Pullman Lounge, on the hotel’s first floor, has been designed specifically for intimate weddings, while the refurbished Ballroom, complete with nine chandeliers, can accommodate larger gatherings with up to 300 guests.

Both rooms will be available for civil ceremonies all year round, with only one wedding per day being permitted.

To celebrate the hotel is launching a new full-day wedding package, including room hire for the ceremony, breakfast and wedding reception, a free DJ and disco for receptions with more than 120 guests and  free overnight accommodation for the happy couple, with a champagne breakfast the following day.

The package, priced from £2399, also includes a red carpet on arrival, personalised menus and name cards, use of a cake stand and knife, white linen and napkins and discounted accommodation rates for wedding guests.