Luxury Blackpool hotel to launch after £3.5m transformation

Central Beach Leisure, founded and run by John and Elishar Westhead and their partners, has announced that it has transformed Blackpool’s Royal Carlton Hotel on Central Promenade into a luxury boutique hotel following a £3.5m investment.

After acquiring Royal Carlton in March 2025, the business enlisted fellow Blackpool-based firms Joseph Boniface Architects to design the The Glass Tower hotel and Investworth Homes to handle the refurbishment of its 38 bedrooms.

It additionally appointed Thompson Contractors, central to Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat Restaurant in London’s 22 Bishopsgate tower, to deliver its new restaurant and bar XI (‘Eleven’), open to both guests and the public.

The hotel, already available for bookings, will officially open its doors on 11 April.

With The Glass Tower, Central Beach Leisure brings its total investment in the region’s premier serviced accommodation schemes to over £15m, with 35 suites currently available and another 45 planned for May.

Luxury serviced accommodation owned and operated by the company includes Park Road Suites, 59 St Chads Road, Pleasure Beach Apartments and Breck apartments on Poulton le Fylde.

Commenting on The Glass Tower, John Westhead said: “No expense has been spared on the creation of The Glass Tower, a spectacular offering to rival anything that Manchester, Liverpool and London have to offer and bringing something truly inspirational to Blackpool.

“Although Central Beach Leisure is a winning mixture of local and international expertise, I’m born and bred in Blackpool so take immense pride in being able to offer these properties in the resort and be part of the ever-changing face of Blackpool.”

He added: “We are creating a brand that people can trust and that delivers excellence consistently. When our guests interact with Central Beach Leisure, whether in accommodation or our bar or restaurant, we want them to experience and enjoy guaranteed quality, service and excellence.”