Town centre site being marketed to develop new hotel or leisure attraction

Warrington Council has put a strategic town centre site up for sale, inviting offers from investors to develop an hotel, or associated leisure scheme.

Specialist hospitality and leisure property adviser, Christie & Co, is acting on behalf of the local authority in marketing the former Cabinet Works site.

Located in Barbauld Street, the 0.385-acre site is close to the council’s £142m Time Square development which includes a new 13-screen, 2,500-seat multiplex cinema operated by Cineworld, as well as several restaurants, an impressive market hall, new council offices, a 1,160-space multi-storey car park and a new civic square.

This central area of Warrington forms part of the town’s Cultural Quarter and is seen as key to the regeneration of the town, with residential living, cultural facilities, office and leisure and business actively being promoted.

The former Cabinet Works site has been cleared to pave the way for development and offers are being invited for the freehold and part leasehold site on a subject to contract and planning basis.

Jon Patrick, head of leisure & development at Christie & Co, who is coordinating the sale, said: “Warrington is one of the best connected towns in the UK and with junctions to the M6, M62 and M56 Motorways, its road network connectivity is excellent with 3.5 million people living within 45 minutes’ drive time.

“In hospitality terms, the Warrington market is predominately driven by domestic demand and the growth in business around manufacturing, global logistics, cybersecurity, data analytics as well as energy industries will be a key factor in attracting additional hospitality brands to the town centre where less than 20% of current hotel stock is located.

“As a result, we envisage interest both from a variety of hotel brands as well as owner-occupiers and developers.”