Approval for transformation of former department store into 175-room hotel
Councillors have today (October 24) approved plans to convert Liverpool’s former iconic George Henry Lee department store into a 175-room hotel.
Liverpool City Council’s planning officers had recommended approval of Liverpool-based Landlab Developments’ plans, saying: “The proposed hotel/leisure use of the site is acceptable in this location.
“The uses will bring the vacant and under-utilised floors of this prominent and important building back into beneficial use and secure its ongoing conservation and maintenance, without any adverse impact on the retail function of the area.
“It will contribute towards a sustainable mix of uses in an accessible location, benefiting the local economy and providing enhanced employment prospects. It will assist in increasing activity in the area, throughout the day and night.”
It is proposed the venture will operate under hotel group Accor’s Mama Shelter brand.
The building dates back to 1853 when George Henry Lee and his brother, Henry Boswell Lee opened a Bonnet warehouse on Basnett Street.
The business eventually grew into one of the North’s top department stores.
In 1919, the store was sold to American businessman Harry Gordon Selfridge. Under Selfridge’s management the store was incorporated into the new Selfridge Provincial Stores group, in which it stayed until its collapse in 1940 and subsequent purchase by John Lewis.
The site was home to George Henry Lee, part of the John Lewis Partnership portfolio, until 2008 when it moved to the newly-developed Liverpool One retail centre as one of its flagship sites.
It is now empty, following the departure in 2017 of Liverpool retail business Rapid Hardware.
However, it has been the subject of three failed attempts to convert it into an hotel previously.
In 2013, Birmingham-based Gethar Ventures sought to transform the property, then in 2018 a joint venture firm linked to Rapid Hardware owners, the Doherty family unveiled its own plans alongside investment property company Williamson Holding.
Then, the following year, development company Niboco applied for planning permission to turn the building into a 157-bedroom hotel, restaurant, casino, nightclub and events space.
The proposal is to change the use of the building, which comprises 14,233 sq metres of floorspace over nine floors – two basements levels, ground floor and six upper storeys – into a 175-room facility with ancillary functions including ground floor bar, restaurant and basement leisure facilities, fourth floor bedroom extension, with new external terraces at seventh floor level as part of a sky bar/restaurant at sixth floor level.
Access to the hotel reception/lobby would be from the existing Houghton Street entrance, with bar and restaurant entrances onto Basnett Street.
