|
Hotel conversion begins
for City landmark
WORK is officially underway
on an £18 million project, kick-started by the Council, to transform
Liverpool's historic Royal Insurance building into a stunning new
hotel.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, visited the building on Monday, 17
June 2013, to mark the start of the 15 month scheme, delivered by
Ashall Property Ltd. It will rejuvenate the Grade II* listed
building, which has lain empty for 20 years, and had been placed on
the National Buildings at Risk Register. Now, the building is
looking forward to a bright future, with Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc. on board to bring their design led Aloft brand to
the building; a high-profile 1st for the City.
Liverpool City Council purchased the freehold of the historic
landmark, at the corner of North John Street and Dale Street in the
City centre, for £1.95 million earlier this year; facilitating £18m
of private investment in a project being undertaken by Runcorn based
developer Ashall Property.
The Mayor, who was joined by Mark Ashall, Director at Ashall and
Colin Bennett, Area Manager UK and Ireland, Starwood Hotels &
Resorts, to see the beginning of a new chapter for the famous
building, said:- "At a time of inertia in the economy, we are
taking the bull by the horns and doing things differently. This deal
with Ashall is another great example of how we are targeting our
resources creatively to help kick-start development, and investing
in assets that bring in new income streams for the Council. The
Royal Insurance building has been empty for too long, and its
rebirth is great news for our City, for our economy and for our
hotel sector. We are protecting our past, as well as investing in
our future."
Mark Ashall, Director at Ashall Property Ltd, said:- "Ashall
Property is both excited and proud to kick-start the regeneration of
such an iconic building which will provide Liverpool with a vibrant,
design-led hotel complete with restaurant and meeting space."
Colin Bennett, Area Manager UK & Ireland, Starwood Hotels & Resorts,
said:- "We are very excited to debut our 1st Starwood hotel in
Liverpool and look forward to working with all our partners to
breathe new life into the iconic Royal Insurance Building. Following
the success of Aloft London, we see great opportunities to grow our
Aloft portfolio across the UK where there is a strong demand for
affordable yet stylish, cutting-edge hotel brands."
Jon Adams, Construction MD, Balfour Beatty, said:- "Balfour
Beatty is delighted to be involved in the transformation of one of
Liverpool's most iconic buildings and look forward to delivering a
project that will exceed the expectations of our customer and future
guests using the hotel."
The latest figures show that Liverpool's work to bring historic
buildings back into use is having a real impact. Only 4% of the
City's buildings are now on the at risk register, compared with a
national average of around 7%.
|
 |
Liverpool bucks
the retail trend
THE number of vacant shops
in Liverpool City centre fell in 2012 - bucking the national trend.
That is the finding of the annual review of the City's main retail
area, which found the vacancy rate in the 841 units surveyed fell
from 13.5%to 12.7% compared to 2011. This compares to a rise
nationally. Although 32 units became vacant as businesses closed,
another 41 were filled with newcomers. Some 54% of the
arrivals were new to the City, while 14% had previously not had a
unit in the North West. And at Liverpool ONE; which had 26 million
visits in 2012, that is 99% of the 160 shops are occupied.
Highlights include:-
► New businesses on Lord Street
► 11 new retailers at St John's Shopping Centre
► The Upper Floor of Cavern Walks being fully occupied for the 1st
time in several years
Mayor Joe Anderson said:- "The City centre is the driver for
Liverpool's economy and it is pleasing that it continues to thrive
despite the tough economic conditions. Many thousands of people are
employed in the shops, restaurants, bars and hotels. Their
livelihoods depend on a successful Liverpool City centre. It is
vital that we do all we can to attract further investment and
organise events which give people a reason to visit Liverpool."
New developments recently completed, or due to complete this year,
include:-
► The new Adagio Apart Hotel in the former Lewis's building
► Forever 21 opening a new £20 million store on Church Street
► Marks and Spencer investing £5 million
► A £5 million extension to River Island
► Plans are also in the pipeline to give St John's Shopping Centre a
makeover.
Malcolm Kennedy, Cabinet member for regeneration, said:- "This
is a reassuring annual health check of our City centre and shows
that we are continuing to make good progress in attracting
investment and bringing in new businesses. Our City centre is the
engine of Liverpool's economy and I am pleased we are continuing to
motor ahead, despite tough times."
Max Steinberg, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision said:- "The
importance of a thriving retail area to economic growth is
recognised in the City Centre Strategic Investment Framework 2012.
The area is identified as 1 of 6 transformational action areas, with
a focus on the potential for further investment and improvement in
the Williamson Square area. The strength of our retail sector in
challenging times bodes well for the future."
Ged Gibbons, Chief Operating Officer for City Central BID, which
represents more than 630 businesses in the retail heart of City
centre, said:- "It has taken a decade of sheer hard work but
Liverpool City centre is now one of the most dynamic in the UK. It
speaks volumes that the retail sector is continuing to invest during
a recession to a level that few cities in the UK and Europe can
match. Liverpool's appeal to both investors and visitors alike still
has huge potential as a job creator and we must continue to nurture
and develop that over the next 10 years."
Both St John's Shopping Centre and Liverpool ONE both saw an
increase in visitors, and there was a 10.3% rise in bus passengers,
and car park use was up 1.7%.
Overall footfall fell 6.51% compared to 2011, in line with
comparable areas and due to a combination of wet weather, the
economic climate and the temporary closure of Liverpool Central
station for refurbishment. |
