GVA appointed to find occupier for hotel at Fort Dunlop

PROPERTY advisor GVA has been appointed to seek an occupier for the hotel at Birmingham’s Fort Dunlop scheme.

In August the hotel’s present occupier Travelodge ran into financial difficulties and agreed a deal to cut its debts substantially. Some £235m of bank debt was written off and new investors were found.

But Travelodge said it wanted to find new operators for 49 hotels.

Opened in 2006, the 100-bed Fort Dunlop scheme hotel occupies the blue-clad ten-storey extension to the original Dunlop building.

Ben Brown principal surveyor at GVA’s hotels and leisure team, said: “Fort Dunlop is one of Birmingham’s most prestigious and widely recognised buildings and this opportunity offers the potential for huge exposure.  

“While Urban Splash is primarily looking to re-let the hotel to a new operator, they are also willing to consider management contract proposals.”

Urban Splash’s Nathan Cornish said: “The hotel element at Fort Dunlop represents an eye-catching addition to what is a national landmark. The availability of this space is an unrivalled opportunity for an ambitious hotelier to expose its brand to one of the busiest sections of motorway in the UK.

“We would be open to altering the striking blue render to link into the corporate colours of the operator taking the space.”