A chain of boutique 5* aparthotels based in the North West is to open two new sites in the region - one inside a former magistrates' court.
Walker & Williams, which currently owns and operates two of the apartment-hotels in Preston, has plans to open two further branches in Ormskirk and Chester.
The family-run hotelier will expand its growing portfolio with support from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, which granted a £1.17m development fund.
The funding – which forms part of Lloyds Bank’s commitment to provide £1.3 billion in funding to businesses in the North West this year – helped support the group in breaking ground on a third site in Chester this month.
The business also recently achieved planning permission for an additional site in Ormskirk.
Max Walker-Williams, founder and director of Walker & Williams, said: “Our ultimate goal is to grow our portfolio to include 30 aparthotels within the next ten years. While it may seem ambitious, we have a proven track record of success and continue to see an appetite for the boutique style of luxury accommodation we offer.
“Alongside the exceptional support provided to us by Lloyds Bank, the success we have achieved to date has been as a direct result of the quality service offered by the Walker & Williams team headed up by Ross Taylor and Richard Fontana, the unique and stylish décor created by my wife, Laura, and mother, Sue and the quality renovation work carried out by my brother-in-law, Mike and his team at MD Build – it truly has been a family affair.”
In 2017 the group launched its first 5* aparthotel project, No.10 Preston.
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According to the firm, within three weeks of opening, it had already taken the decision to purchase an adjacent property and expand the site from five to 14 apartments to help meet demand.
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That was followed by the opening of a second site in Preston, the Winckley Square Hotel, in December 2018.
Walker & Williams' most recent ventures will see the historic Ormskirk Magistrates' Court become the site of a 5* bespoke aparthotel.
This will include 23 luxury apartments, a 72-cover restaurant on the site of former Court Room 1 and a cocktail bar featuring alcoved-booths in what previously were prison cells.
Meanwhile, work has already begun on transforming a 300-year-old building in Chester city centre into 19 5* apartments, with direct access to the city’s walls.
The developments form part of a significant period of growth for the business, which has also set its sights on expanding to locations in Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Harrogate in the near future.
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Dale Parkinson, real estate relationship manager for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Walker & Williams is a prime example of a dynamic business that simply refuses to stand still.
“Thanks to the hard work and ambition of Max and his family, the firm has achieved rapid success and continues to cultivate a popular brand that will only grow with each new venture.
“We’re proud to be by the side of businesses in the North West, providing the tailored funding that companies like Walker & Williams need as part of our mission to help Britain prosper.”