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New government but no new funding
Cuts may have started but the coalition will soon have to address sector concerns
W
The 151-bedroom hotel will be operated by Sanguine Hospitality
Hotel Indigo to open in Liverpool
Construction work now underway on £15m property
By Luke Tuchscherer
Work has begun on the £15m Hotel Indigo in Liverpool. The 151-bed, four-star hotel,
which is partly being funded by a £10m package from the Co-operative Bank, will be delivered by the Wigan-based contractor, Denizen. The hotel will be owned and
operated by north west development group Sanguine Hospitality, while Falconer Chester Hall Architects and its associate company, FCH Interiors, have been appointed to design the hotel.
Sanguine Hospitality
managing director Nick Taplin, said: "Merseyside's tourism economy is worth over £1.4bn and rising. In spite of one of the worst recessions in recent times, the city region continues to grow as a destination of choice for domestic and international visitors. "Our level of investment in
Hotel Indigo reflects our level of faith in the city. We intend to bring something new and creative to Liverpool's hotel market, giving visitors a real alternative and further strengthening the city's appeal."
New luxury hotel planned for London
A new 82-bedroom hotel, which is housed in a row of nine Georgian Grade II-listed townhouses, has opened in London's West End. Arch London features more
than 80 rooms and suites over six floors. It also includes a lounge and study, a cocktail bar, a restaurant and a library serving afternoon teas and Martinis. The architecture was by Buckinghamshire-based
© Cybertrek 2010
Graham Seabrook Partner- ship, with interiors by RDD. The interiors mix modern technology and contempo- rary artwork with carefully restored architectural details. The property's bar features
silver Philippe Starck barstools, while the guest- rooms include original works by young artists. A collection of video art is projected onto the wall behind the marble reception desk.
ith a new government, we are beginning to have a clear view of its approach, particularly in
the areas of public expenditure, tax policies and interest rates. We can already see the way it is
beginning to operate: public expenditure is already being reined in and there will be few areas that will not be affected. For the hospitality industry, we must be cautiously optimistic and look forward to tourism being taken more seriously than previously. Nevertheless, on the downside, all the signs are that tourism can expect little or no additional public funding – indeed, there will be pressure on existing levels of funding for VisitBritain and VisitEngland and for the regional tourist boards through the Regional Development Agencies. On the upside, we should be able to look forward to fewer
BOB COTTON is chief executive of the BHA. Leisure Opportunities is a member benefit of the BHA, for your free copy call 01462 471913
regulations – indeed, some deregulation, as well as more support for business investment and greater coordination of Whitehall policies affecting the industry. Let's repeat the industry's key concerns. Firstly, there needs
to be fewer regulations. Those that are introduced should be more accurately assessed for their impact on small businesses. Secondly, the government must understand the industry is a
potential job creator and is the main economic driver of many regions in the country – even London. Yet, in an industry largely made up of small businesses, past fiscal and regulatory measures have inhibited private investment to a great extent. The third concern is the need for government to encourage
businesses to invest, through the introduction of appropriate tax measures. Only through more private investment will the industry be able to meet rising international competition. A stronger DCMS, which is more capable of representing the
industry with other government departments and throughout Whitehall, is another requirement, while too many local, regional and national tourism bodies are fighting for limited amounts of funding to promote Britain internationally, nationally and locally. A more coherent approach to the country's tourism infrastructure is required. The £110bn tourism industry might not yet be top of the new
government's priorities but if it is to prosper in the future, sooner or later the government will need to turn its attention to our concerns. Let's hope it is sooner rather than later.
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