Today’s news in brief – 21/10/24
Troo Hospitality has announced its first Central London property, Corus Hotel Hyde Park, at Lancaster Gate. The 388-room hotel will undergo a significant refurbishment to transform its public spaces, rooms, and introduce new features like a central courtyard, dining options, and co-working spaces. Troo will manage the hotel alongside Immersive Hospitality Management after the refurbishment, contributing to its transformation. Winston Zahra, Troo’s CEO, and Stewart Davies, COO, expressed excitement about this addition to their portfolio, highlighting its prime location near Hyde Park. Troo currently manages 10 hotels across the UK, including properties in Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, Aberdeen, and Manchester.
Whitbread has acquired the 42,000 sq ft Verity House in Leeds City Centre and plans to convert it into a 120-bedroom Premier Inn hotel. Located near Leeds Railway Station, the building’s central position makes it ideal for redevelopment. The project, pending planning permission, includes retrofitting and extending the existing structure. Jill Anderson, Whitbread’s acquisitions manager, noted the company’s expertise in transforming office buildings into budget hotels, emphasising the environmental benefits of repurposing existing structures. This acquisition expands Whitbread’s pipeline in Leeds, with plans for over 250 new hotel rooms in the city.
IHG Hotels and Resorts is rapidly expanding its Garner brand with the signing of four new properties in the UK and Europe. Launched in August 2023, Garner has signed 76 properties globally in 2024, with a focus on conversions. In the UK, the Garner Hotel Reading Centre will open in late 2024, and another property in Preston will follow. Additionally, Garner will debut in Vienna, Maastricht, and Istanbul by 2025. Willemijn Geels, vice president of IHG’s Europe Development, highlighted the strong interest from hotel owners due to Garner’s ability to quickly operationalize properties and provide access to IHG’s global enterprise platform.
The Address Collective has introduced its new restaurant brand, North, across its hotels in Cork, Connolly, and Citywest. This follows North’s successful launch in Glasgow and Sligo. The restaurant focuses on sustainability, sourcing meat within a 50-mile radius to create high-quality, locally inspired dishes. Each North location features unique artwork by local artists, contributing to a distinct dining atmosphere. Brian McGettigan, owner of The Address Collective, expressed pride in showcasing Irish food culture while supporting local communities and artisans through this new culinary venture.
