A mystery new owner is in the process of buying an historic Southport hotel which is on the market for £6million.
The Best Western Royal Clifton Hotel is situated on the Promenade overlooking the Marine Lake, Kings Gardens and beach while only 100 metres from Lord Street, the main shopping boulevard.
The 120-bedroom was put up for sale in June 2020 and is currently Under Offer.
Built by architect Thomas Withnell in the 1850s, the Royal Clifton Hotel is a landmark grade II Listed building.
The business, which traded within a franchise agreement under the SureStay Hotel Collection by Best Western, also operated as a wedding and events venue.
It boasts nine function rooms catering up to 300 people as well as a leisure club & health spa facility.
D’Urberville Hotels, which had owned and operated the business since 2015, decided to sell as part of a planned exit strategy.
Last week Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced a £37.5million Town Deal for Southport which could see a new waterside centre for events, shows and conferences built on the Southport Theatre site; a new light and water show in the Marine Lake; and Southport Pleasureland transformed into an all-year attraction.
The huge government investment in the resort is designed to attract millions more visitors each year, leading to a greater demand for hotel stays.
Ryan Lynn, director of corporate hotels at Christie & Co, which is handling the sale, said last year: “This is a great hotel well known throughout the area which has such potential as the UK hotel sector and travel industry reopens.”
Christie & Co said: “The Royal Clifton Hotel boasts an extremely impressive and imposing Victorian facade and is a well known Southport landmark building.
“The Royal Hotel is a Grade II Listed building and was originally built in 1853-54. It was enlarged over subsequent years and in 1980 it was joined with the adjacent Clifton Hotel.
“The business currently trades as a full-service hotel with an excellent mix of both corporate and leisure trade. The business is further supplemented by income from the extensive banqueting and conference facilities at the hotel and quality food and beverage facilities.
“The hotel is well-known for its high service standards and many of the guests are frequent visitors to the hotel providing repeat and regular business. In addition, there are large numbers of weddings already confirmed for future years, and the venue has the benefit of a licence to carry out formal wedding ceremonies.
“There remains further areas for an incoming purchaser to add value to the business such as further capital expenditure in some areas of the hotel.”
For more details of properties for sale with Christie & Co please visit their website: Christie.com
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