Today’s news in brief – 24/9/24
Whitbread, Premier Inn’s parent company, and Mix Manchester announced plans to build the largest Premier Inn in northern England at Manchester Airport. The 276-room hotel will expand Premier Inn’s footprint by over 50% in this busy airport area. The hotel will feature Premier Inn’s latest room designs, including Premier Plus rooms and a social space. Whitbread has been heavily investing in Manchester, acquiring sites for future development and disposing of older properties for redevelopment. A planning application for the new hotel will be submitted soon, with construction likely to start in early 2025. The hotel will complement Manchester Airport’s £1.3bn transformation program, which includes upgrading its terminals and infrastructure.
Yotel has announced its plan to open a new 165-room hotel in Belfast’s Shaftesbury Square by late 2026. The hotel will include Yotel’s signature features such as SmartBeds, SmartTVs, and rain showers, along with a 24/7 fitness centre, dining options, and meeting rooms. The development aligns with Yotel’s global expansion strategy, and the project will be executed in partnership with Andras Hotels. The £17m investment aims to regenerate Shaftesbury Square, transforming the area and creating jobs for the local community. The planning process will begin soon, with construction set to start in 2025.
Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland has appointed Alan Halliday as its new chair, with Crerar Hotels CEO Chris Wayne-Wills as vice chairperson. HIT Scotland, a charity supporting the hospitality sector, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Halliday, with over 23 years of trustee experience, will lead the organisation, which has provided over 7,000 scholarships to develop hospitality talent. Wayne-Wills, a former HIT Scotland Leadership Scholarship recipient, will focus on nurturing future leaders. In 2023 alone, 414 scholarships were awarded, helping professionals advance their careers. The organisation also hosts major industry events, which have raised substantial funds.
Dalata Hotel Group announced the sale of the Maldron Hotel Wexford to the Neville Park Hotel Group. The hotel, described as a well-performing property with a strong team, will transition ownership by November 2023. Dalata emphasised that the sale allows the group to capitalise on the property’s value while continuing to grow its business. Colm Neville, owner of The Neville Park Hotel Group, expressed excitement about adding the Wexford property to his portfolio, which includes two other hotels in the region.
