Eclectic hotel set for approval despite opposition

MANCHESTER City Council is expected to approve Eclectic Hotels’ plan for a fourth venue in the city next week, despite opposition from English Heritage.

Eclectic, owned by Edward and Sally O’Loughlin, has previously launched the Great John Street Hotel, close to the Granada Studios site, Didsbury House and Eleven Didsbury Park in Didsbury.

Now they want to convert 8-10 Booth Street, a listed building opposite the Chancery Place office block which was built in 1874 for the Manchester and Salford Trustees Savings Bank.

The interior was stripped out in the 1980s in favour of modern offices around a central lightwell. But English Heritage is objecting to the introduction of a third door on Booth Street that would give access to the restaurant.

It argues that the, “Creation of a third doorway will lessen the sense of strength, security and solidity necessary in a bank and for which the building is listed and exceeds the limits of change acceptable in this important listed building.”

A report prepared ahead of next week’s meeting said: “The views of English Heritage are acknowledged. However, officers do not accept that the level of harm caused by the creation of a new doorway within an existing window opening would cause substantial harm. They also consider that the public benefits of the proposal outweigh any harm to the external appearance of the building.”