New owners of former Hilton hotel in North Wales
The new owners and name of the former Hilton hotel in North Wales have been confirmed. Hilton Garden Inn hotel opened in 2021 next to the surf lagoon at Adventure Park Snowdonia, Dolgarrog. The Ainscough family invested millions into the site and both schemes were backed by around £8m of Welsh Government grant funding. The surf lagoon closed in the summer of 2023 after a series of mechanical failures. But the hotel site - owned by Snowdonia Hotel Ltd - continued to operate under the Hilton branding. Last month Begbies Traynor were confirmed as administrator of Snowdonia Hotel with a pre-pack sale agreed and staff transferred to the new owner. It has been confirmed the sale was to Interesting Hotels for an undisclosed sum, with Enterprise Hotels and Hospitality advising on the deal. The freehold hotel was purchased unbranded and features 106 guest bedrooms. It has now been renamed as IXORA Hotel and Spa. Interesting Hotels Group's portfolio includes Chateau Rhianfa in Anglesey, Hawkstone Park in Shropshire, Poets House Hotel and Restaurant in Ely, Llangoed Hall in Powys and The Swan at Hay in Herefordshire. Gavin Wright, founder of Enterprise Hotels and Hospitality, said: "This was an exceptional opportunity to acquire a newly built hotel and spa fitted to an excellent standard near the Snowdonia(Eryri) National Park, which attracts nearly four million people every year. "The hotel has been successfully acquired by Interesting Hotels, who completed the transaction within just a three week period. The hotel has been renamed IXORA Hotel and Spa and adds to Interesting Hotels' existing portfolio, which includes three other hotels in Wales."
Runway East to open co-working space in Bath
Co-working space provider Runway East has signed a 20-year deal with global investment firm Abrdn to open a new site in Bath. Kings Court, a Grade II listed building on Parsonage Lane in the city centre, is the flexible workspace company’s third site in the South West. Runway East Bath, which covers 23,000 sq ft, will open in phases starting in the spring of this year. The agreement is the second with partner Abrdn following a deal for Runway East Bloomsbury, a 45,000 sq ft joint venture. “It seems we’re collecting all the cities beginning with B! Bath joins Brighton, Birmingham and Bristol in addition to our sites in London,” said Natasha Guerra, chief executive of Runway East. “Bath is internationally known for its UNESCO World Heritage status, it is regularly featured as one of the best places to live, work and visit - so we are thrilled to offer our services here.” Edinburgh-headquartered Abrdn joins L&G, GPE, Peer Group and Soho Estates as landlords of Runway East sites. In Bristol, Runway East is the largest operator of flexible workspace. Peter Tomley, deputy fund manager from Abrdn, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Runway East to King’s Court, Bath. With a business model to create the best possible environment for startups and scaleups, as well as established businesses looking for more flexible office solutions, their product is a great addition to the city, playing both to the region’s growth agenda whilst also providing the fund with long term, durable income.” Runway East was selected as the preferred partner by Abrdn given its knowledge of the South West market. Will Kinnear, founder of HEWN who advised Abrdn, added: “They are a great addition to the Bath market, their in-demand product is attune with the ambitions of the local council and the economy it wants to create and foster.” Runway East, which is B-Corp certified, now has 13 spaces across London, Birmingham, Brighton and Bristol. Businesses using their space include household names such as Deliveroo, Dojo, and Grind.
Start date on new £6m riverside plaza scheme for Pontypridd
Work transforming the former Marks & Spencer store site in the centre of Pontypridd to create a new £6m riverside plaza will start next month. The former M&S and Dorothy Perkins buildings, which had been empty since 2015, were demolished last year in preparation for the new development. More than £5.6m of funding has been secured to develop the site into a proposed 'riverside plaza', which the council say will provide a functional and aesthetically-pleasing public space, and open the townscape towards the river for the first time in more than 100 years. Part of the new 'riverside plaza' will also include small, lightweight kiosks (commercial units) that will offer the sale of food and drinks. It will also bring new green spaces of trees and foliage to the town centre. The redevelopment is part of the Southern Gateway project, which also saw the old Bingo Hall aka Angharads, demolished and replaced by an area with new bus bays and more seating areas which was completed earlier this year. The project aims to transform the area into a key 'transitional space' for a new visitor route, linking the train station to the town centre via the bingo hall site. Rhondda Cynon Taff Counciil aim for the new development to provide a new open space that is flexible enough to respond to new opportunities for the town centre. The £5.6m funding has been secured via contributions from the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Programme (£3.68m) and the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund (£1.95m). Flood modelling is being used to ensure that the majority of the site will be raised out of the flood zone after Taff Street and other areas of Pontypridd have been hit with flooding over the last few years, most recently in November during Storm Bert. The lane leading to Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, where the National Eisteddfod was held last summer, will also have enhanced resurfacing and street lighting. Horan Construction, have been appointed to deliver the works scheme. Councillor Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's cabinet member for development and prosperity, said: "Securing more than £5.6m funding for the construction phase, and appointing a main contractor, are important milestones to revitalise the former MandS and Dorothy Perkins site in Pontypridd. Having now achieved these, the Council and its contractor are making the final preparations for the works to be started in the weeks ahead. "The strategic site in the heart of Pontypridd presents a unique opportunity to expand and open up the southern part of the town centre – and the original idea of creating a 'riverside plaza' was very well received when we previously consulted with the public on how best to utilise the site. Since Cabinet received the most-recent update in summer 2024, important work to further develop the proposals has continued, led by the Council-appointed multi-disciplinary team. "The M&S development will aim to complement what has already been achieved at the former Bingo Hall site – creating a bright, open space and incorporating features such as areas of greenery and food/drink kiosks. This bigger space is also intended to be flexible, and ready to be utilised when required – for example, during town centre events. It will also have the scenic backdrop of the river and views across Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. "Both the M&S and Bingo Hall sites are important parts of the Southern Gateway vision within the Pontypridd Placemaking Plan – which is the wider blueprint for regeneration investment across the town. It aims to build on the momentum that has already been created in recent years, through flagship schemes such as the Llys Cadwyn development, the Cwrt yr Orsaf housing scheme, Y Muni, YMa, and various improvements across the park. "Town centre visitors may notice the appointed contractor carrying out some initial works at the MandS site soon, in preparation for the construction phase which starts in February. The Council will inform residents once all plans are in place, including any expected disruption to residents, the retail area and the business community – which will be minimised as much as possible." Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, added: "This project is a fantastic example of how our Transforming Towns funding is supporting transformational improvements across our town and city centres. "This significant redevelopment project will improve Pontypridd's functionality, attract visitors, and provide new commercial opportunities, helping to strengthen the local economy.
New £250m data centre could open in Greater Manchester
A new data centre could soon be built in Salford in a move developers say could be significant boost to the area's technology sector, could soon be built in the city. The proposed £250m scheme in Eccles is situated on a six-acre industrial plot off Liverpool Road, just north of Salford Community Stadium. DLD (Salford) Ltd has submitted the application, which it says could generate new employment opportunities and attract additional businesses to the region. DLD says the facility would serve as a physical storage space for digital data, supporting everything from internet usage to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. If approved, existing buildings on the land, currently used for car sales and storage, would be demolished to make way for a data hall and offices. Data centres are deemed 'crucial' for the country's future, storing vast amounts of information, so the proposed Salford site would necessitate robust security measures including security checkpoints for anyone entering or exiting the site, anti-climb fencing, and comprehensive surveillance. Its backers say the centre could also bring benefits to the city and the wider North West, potentially being utilised by local councils or to support services such as transport and education. Planning documents submitted alongside the application indicate that the UK requires 'significant levels of new data centre capacity' to keep up with the fast-paced changes occurring in the tech world, reports the Manchester Evening News. The site's location has been chosen to link in with the proposed regeneration plans around Salford's rugby stadium. Meanwhile, construction has commenced on a data centre in Stockport, Greater Manchester, with an expected completion date of 2026.
County Durham country pub snapped up by Valiant Pub Company
A popular countryside pub bordering County Durham and Northumberland has been snapped up by a growing hospitality group in an undisclosed deal. The Derwent Arms is a traditional pub, restaurant and hotel in the village of Edmundbyers, set in the North East corner of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The venue has a lounge bar and restaurant, as well as six ensuite letting rooms, a self-catered guest apartment, and a beer garden. The pub was bought by Inn Hospitality Group back in 2021, triggering a major refurbishment project, creating a new restaurant serving seasonal and local produce which has proved popular among locals and tourists, also helping it to scoop a number of awards. Now the Derwent Arms has been acquired by Valiant Pub Company, a growing hospitality company launched four years ago by Hawthorn Leisure co-founders Gerry Carroll and Mark McGinty. The Derwent Arms is their fourth pub acquisition through Christie & Co in the region, adding to its recent acquisitions The Keelman Arms, The Heart of Northumberland and The Railway. David Cash, regional director and Marslie McGregor, business agent at Christie & Co handled the sale. They said: “The Derwent Arms presented a fantastic opportunity for a new owner-operator to continue the successful operation of the business. Benefitting from several income streams and with trade from both locals and tourists, the business was already well-established with excellent reviews and a good reputation. We are proud to have facilitated this sale and we are delighted to have helped Valiant Pub Company strengthen their presence in the North East. “They have purchased The Keelman Arms in Tyneside, The Heart of Northumberland in Hexham and The Railway in Blyth through Christie & Co and have further acquisitions in the pipeline.”
Harworth completes £53.5m Warwickshire deal three years in the making
Regeneration specialist Harworth has sold a 278-acre strategic land site in Warwickshire in a £53.5m deal first agreed three years ago. The Rotherham-based group has offloaded its Ansty site having exchanged contracts with Rugbyalpha (Freeholdco) Limited, SDI Propco (100) Limited, in December 2021 with the sale having been conditional on the granting of hybrid planning permission of the site. Harworth says it intends to put the proceeds of the sale into infrastructure works and development across its 9.6m sqft consented industrial and logistics pipeline. The Ansty site is adjacent to Junction 2 of the M6. Land there was first acquired by Harworth in autumn 2019, with the site valued at £23.9m in June 2021. The group said this deal demonstrated its ability to “unlock significant value from low value land”. Lynda Shillaw, chief executive at Harworth, said: "The Ansty transaction demonstrates Harworth's specialist ability in creating value from strategic land assembly which, alongside the strength of our balance sheet, enables us to take a longer-term view and develop the right schemes for our sites. Collaboration and partnership are key to unlocking schemes like this and we have worked closely with a number of different stakeholders on this project, including the purchaser since exchange of contracts, ultimately enabling us to accelerate delivery of the site. "Our ability to identify and unlock significant value from strategic land is a key factor in Harworth's outperformance and we continue to identify and acquire strategic sites like Ansty to support our ambitious growth targets.