Blackpool hotels suffer in cold snap says BDO report

COLD weather in March, which hit visitor numbers to Blackpool, took the gloss off an otherwise strong performance by the region’s hotel sector.

Data for March from BDO reveals particularly healthy performances in Liverpool and Manchester, with increases in occupancy, room rates and yields.

Year-on-year occupancy was up 7.1% in Manchester to 77.9%, compared with 72.8% in 2012r. This, coupled with a 0.3% improvement in room rates to £70.53, helped rooms yield to increase by 7.4% from £51.16 to £54.94.

Hoteliers in Liverpool also reported a full set of positive results compared with the same period last year. Occupancy figures were up by 3.3%, with room rates and rooms yield showing 0.7% and 4.1% improvements respectively.

Chester’s hoteliers saw a a 2.3% decrease in occupancy, but increased room rates by 6.1% to £60.24. Rooms yield increased by 3.7% to £39.82 as a result.

Despite an impressive 9.1% increase in room rates for Blackpool’s hotels, the unseasonably cold weather affected the number of visitors to the coastal town, with occupancy figures and rooms yield down 10.5% and 2.3% respectively, compared with March 2012.
 
BDO partner Mark Sykes said: “These are a promising set of results for the North West as a whole. Blackpool hotel occupancy is lower than usual, but this is likely to be indicative of the cold weather throughout March as opposed to difficult trading conditions.

As we enter the bank holiday season, we should hopefully see improved visitor numbers across the region as people enjoy long weekends away.”