Property round-up: Sanguine to open £9m Sheffield Hotel; Blackpool’s Chequers Plaza hotel to re-open; and more

SANGUINE Hospitality has announced plans to open a Hampton by Hilton hotel in Sheffield city centre after signing a franchise deal with Hampton Hotels – part of the Hilton Hotels group.

The hotel will be owned by a specialist investment vehicle, West Bar LLP, and will be managed by Liverpool-based Sanguine Hoispitality. It will be based within the former West Bar Police station building, which is to undergo a £9m conversion into a 142-bed hotel. The development is expected to create more than 55 full- and part-time jobs in the area.

Simon Matthews-Williams, chairman of Sanguine Hospitality, said: “Hampton by Hilton is a mid-priced hotel brand that is an ideal choice for value-conscious business and leisure travellers. 

“We are delighted to be able to restore the building to become the Hampton by Hilton Sheffield and to ensure it continues to tower over the city’s skyline as a quality hotel that will welcome many of the city’s tourists and visitors.  

“Our growing relationship with Hilton Worldwide has already seen the opening of full-service DoubleTree by Hilton hotels in Chester and Bristol, as well as our recently-opened Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Broad Street – in addition to Hampton by Hilton Exeter which is currently under development.”

The building was sold by South Yorkshire Police in a £2.5m deal announced last week. It was advised on the sale by Knight Frank and Irwin Mitchell.

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BLACKPOOL’S 72-bed Chequers Plaza hotel has been sold at auction for more than its £350,000 guide price.

The hotel, which is based on Blackpool’s promenade, has been sold to experienced hotel operator Tahir Sanghir Younis, who is based in Oxfordshire.

Although currently closed, he plans to reopen the business following a sale at an auction held by Christie + Co and Allsops at the end of March.

Martin Davis of Christie + Co said: “The hotel provides excellent potential for the ingoing operator to bring the hotel back to its former glory and generate both business and employment opportunities in Blackpool”.

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DEVELOPER Brookfinch has instructed CBRE North West to sell off the former Freemasons Hall at Chorlton-cum-Hardy in south Manchester.

The hall sits on a one-acre site at Edge Lane, which is around three metres south of Manchester city centre. Planning permission is already in place to convert the hall and build 12 residential units on site.

Steven Verity, director of residential at CBRE North West, said: “This site is within a prime location in this popular South Manchester suburb. In addition, the North West region offers the best rental return yields in the country, so the development offers a fantastic opportunity for developers, particularly as planning permission has already been approved and is supported by Manchester City Council.”

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AN upgrade to the 61 Mosley St office building in Manchester city centre by property company Crystal is nearing completion.

Crystal, which is a sister firm to Manchester-based property investor Hurstwood, said that a 1,655 sq ft show suite on the sixth floor of the building has been completed and a small business centre on the first floor offering suites of 176-759 sq ft is also ready. New roof terraces on the second and fourth floors are currently being fitted out.

The firm has agreed one letting to date with Concept Legal Expenses and said it is in “advanced stages” of discussions with occupiers for units in the business centre. Concept Legal Services took suite 6 in the building after relocating from offices above the Arndale Centre.

Crystal picked up the building, which was previously known as Woolwich House, from the administrators of textiles business Nik Nak Clothing Company, which had been placed into administration in July 2009.

The price paid was undisclosed, but at the time of the purchase last year it was on the market for £1.8m.

Crystal sales director Mark Carling said: “We are really pleased with the finished product which far exceeds our original aspirations.

“The property is truly unique offering roof terraces on three floors, including the top (6th) floor which also offers rooftop views over the main commercial district.

“We are not aware of any other office building in the city centre that has office suites under 2,500 sq ft that comes with this facility.”

The ground floor retail unit is currently occupied by employment agency Rullion, although its lease is due to expire next year.

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SCOTTISH & Newcastle has appointed Savills to sell the freehold of The New Broadway at 38 New Hall Lane in Liverpool for a guide price of £295,000.

The detached public house contains a lounge bar, pool room, separate function room and large patio area to the ground floor with a five-bedroom owner’s
accommodation above.

It is based on a one-acre site on an easily accessible location in a densely-populated suburb of Liverpool. 

Savills associate director Tom Cunningham said: “As a well-trading public house in a popular local setting, The Broadway presents an appealing opportunity that
holds good potential to augment the current business further.”