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2026 Programme
09:40 – 10:25 Market Insights

Beyond the Horizon

A sharp, data-driven deep dive into the financial and economic currents shaping the UK hotel industry. The panel will unpack raw macroeconomic data, tying CPI changes and debt finance realities directly to RevPAR, ADR, and disposable guest spend.

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Dave North
Dave NorthLloyds Banking
10:25 – 11:10 Operations

Frontline Fortitude

Hotel operators are caught in a pincer movement: skyrocketing supply chain and labour costs on one side, guests demanding flawless value on the other. This panel digs into asset management, smart cost-control, and building operational agility across diverse portfolios.

Julie White
Julie WhiteAccor
David Anderson
David AndersonAimbridge EMEA
David Hart
David HartRBH Hospitality
11:30 – 12:15 Leadership

The Modern Anchor

Managing a modern hospitality workforce demands a shift from old-school hierarchy to empathetic, visionary leadership. These industry standard-bearers explore how to inspire loyalty across multi-generational teams, foster open communication, and maintain personal mental resilience.

Christian Masters
Christian Mastersart'otel Hoxton
Caroline Gregory
Caroline GregoryThe Lovat Hotel
Simon Numphud
Simon NumphudAA Media Services
12:15 – 13:00 Events Market

The New Roar of MICE

The MICE sector looks radically different than it did a few years ago. From hyper-personalised retreats to tech-heavy hybrid conventions, this session uncovers what today's corporate planners actually want from a venue — and how to maximise yield per square foot.

Shonali Devereaux
Shonali DevereauxMIA
Varun Shetty
Varun ShettyThe Belfry Resort
14:00 – 14:45 Development

Blueprint for Growth

Despite tight credit markets, the appetite for strategic hotel development remains fierce. Brands and asset managers discuss the shift toward conversions, brand repositioning, and adaptive reuse over ground-up builds.

Tim Davis
Tim DavisPACE Dimensions
Gavin Taylor
Gavin TaylorClermont Hotels
Paul Blackmore
Paul BlackmoreHilton
David JM Orr
David JM OrrResident Hotels
14:45 – 15:30 Technology

Beyond the Buzzwords

AI is already driving revenue and plugging labour gaps. This panel cuts through the jargon to showcase how automated guest messaging, contactless check-ins, and predictive analytics can save thousands of labour hours.

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David BeersChoice Hotels
RBH
AI SpecialistRBH Management
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15:55 – 16:40 People & Culture

People First

Recruitment is tough, but retention is where the real battle is won or lost. Industry leaders share actionable advice on mental health initiatives, flexible working models, and defined career progression pathways.

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Suzanne SpeakRadisson Group
16:40 – 17:05 Crisis Management

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Home > Latest News > Brands > Whitbread acquires Manchester development for 229-bedroom hotel
Whitbread acquires Manchester development for 229-bedroom hotel

Whitbread acquires Manchester development for 229-bedroom hotel

In this episode we speak to Nico Tréguer, co-founder of Roberts and Treguer and The Culpeper Family. Nico spoke about founding the group alongside his longtime friend Gareth, having had a vision for bringing more nature spaces to cities, the planned extension of The Buxton in Spitalfields, and how the site’s storytelling engages guests and the local community, how the Culpeper Family’s core sustainability ethos helped it secure its B-Corp status and why hospitality has a responsibility to educate and innovate when it comes to sustainability.

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Whitbread, owner of Premier Inn, has purchased a consented hotel development site on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter from Premcor.

The acquisition on Rochdale Road, which has planning permission for a 229-bedroom hotel set over ten storeys, is part of Whitbread’s strategy of reconfiguring its network of hotels in Manchester city centre. 

With the purchase now complete, Whitbread is anticipated to appoint GMI Construction Group to build the hotel for its Premier Inn brand with construction work expected to commence in summer 2024.  

Whitbread intends to implement the planning consent for the hotel building which will feature a mix of Premier Inn’s standard bedrooms and enhanced Premier Plus rooms. An integrated restaurant, bar and check-in area will occupy the ground floor.

In May 2021 the company opened a 157-bedroom Premier Inn hotel at Princess Street which paved the way for the redevelopment of its Manchester City Centre (Deansgate Locks) hotel a short distance away which served the same catchment.

Paul Smith, property acquisition manager for Whitbread, said: “Whitbread is a long-standing investor in Manchester with six popular Premier Inn hotels across the city centre and many more across the city region.  In line with our perfect portfolio investment strategy, we are in the process of reconfiguring our network of hotels across central Manchester to ensure we have the right number of bedrooms in the right parts of the city centre for our guests.

“Our investment in the Rochdale Road development site brings another 229-bedrooms into our secured development pipeline in a part of the city centre we wish to expand our presence.  The location ticks all the boxes for our guests and with Whitbread’s direct involvement in the scheme, we can guarantee the development will now proceed at pace.”

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