easyHotel unveils latest openings plus £7.6m Blackpool site acquisition

Owner, developer and operator of ‘super-budget’ branded hotels, easyHotel plc has opened three further owned hotels (in Leeds, Sheffield and Barcelona) as well as two franchised hotels (in Reading and Belfast).

This takes the total number of owned rooms open to 1,130 with a further 1,938 franchise rooms now open. All five hotels are said to be trading strongly and in line with management expectations.

The Group also revealed that it has conditionally acquired a 999-year lease on a site at 429 The Promenade, Blackpool, to develop a purpose-built 103-room easyHotel, subject to receiving planning permission.

Located on the city’s popular Promenade, the site is less than 500 metres from Blackpool South Station.

Guy Parsons, CEO of easyHotel plc, said: “The five hotels that we have recently opened have traded strongly from day one and we are delighted with the positive customer reaction to our stylish new brand format.

“I am also pleased to announce our intention to open an easyHotel in Blackpool… a prosperous and lively city, and hugely popular with UK and international visitors.

“Once open, easyHotel will make a major contribution to the local hospitality trade.”

The Blackpool accommodation market is dominated by ‘unbranded’ hotels and B&Bs, 93 per cent of which have no quality grading. This creates an opportunity for easyHotel to deliver a guaranteed standard of accommodation to those visiting Blackpool.

The site will be developed for a purpose-built hotel and two A3 units for restaurants or cafes on the ground floor, which are expected to be sold once the development has completed, and the units have been let.

The hotel is expected to open during the Group’s 2020/21 financial year. The total forecast (net) cost of acquisition and construction will be £7.6m.