THE owners of the Daresbury Park Hotel have spoken for the first time about the hotel’s asylum seekers past, as it prepares to reopen to the public for the first time in more than five years next month.
Owned by Britannia Hotels, who acquired the property from De Vere Group as part of a £20m deal in 2012, it has been undergoing a major refurbishment, after closing to the public to facilitate the Government’s strategy regarding the short-term settlement of asylum seekers, which came to an end last year.
News of the rebrand to a four-star Elite Venue Selection hotel was met with a mixed reaction on social media, with many stating they would be boycotting the venue.
Now the owners have issued a statement, after being approached by Warrington Worldwide, expressing their desire to move forward following a “challenging time in the hospitality industry.”
The new look health club
A new health club and spa has already reopened to the public, with the main hotel set to reopen in March.
A spokesperson for Elite Venue Selection commented: “In 2020, Daresbury Park Hotel was identified as having the capability and capacity to help facilitate the Government’s strategy regarding the short-term settlement of asylum seekers and the hotel was used to provide emergency accommodation to individuals and families seeking refuge. This was a decision taken during a challenging period for the hospitality industry when it was not commercially viable to operate as a public hotel and it ensured the site remained operational and enabled essential maintenance of the property to continue.
“The current refurbishment marks a clear transition away from that period. Our decision to reopen and rebrand the hotel reflects a desire to move forward, reinvest in the local area and re-establish the hotel as a respected community asset. Daresbury Park Hotel is being comprehensively upgraded to allow it to open as a 4-star hotel under our new, premium Elite Venue Selection brand in order to attract a raft of new leisure and business guests to the area, create employment opportunities and contribute positively to the local economy.
“We hope that over time, focus can shift to what the hotel will now offer going forward: local employment, luxury accommodation, event space and a new health club with an indoor heated pool, steam room, spa pool, gym and fitness suite. The imminent reopening represents a new chapter and we encourage residents to come and see the completely new-look hotel and health club for themselves.”
6 Comments
Loved this hotel in the 80’s, my first job as appprentice chef, and one of the best hotels outside manchester with the best staff and well managed under Devere Hotels, well famous for its Carvery and fine dining rerstaurant, many happy memories, so sad to see the way it was trashed over the years, here to a new era I hope..
So now they have milked the Govt gravy train that has come off the rails they want our sympathy ,and for us to forget the past happened
Yep they think people will forget but they had a choice and they chose to dance with the devil boycott every hotel that has been part of this scandal they’re traitors to the British people
Yep they think people will forget but they had a choice and they chose to dance with the devil boycott every hotel that has been part of this scandal they’re traitors to the British people
Exactly , zero sympathy . They made their choice , now live with it .
Elderly people of Warrington and Runcorn, please pay attention. It is VITAL that you boycott this hotel.
Don’t book to stay in a room there. You probably never did that before since you live in Warrington or Runcorn, but if for some reason you suddenly develop a habit of staying in hotels a few miles away from your house make sure this is not the hotel you use.
Don’t book to use the gym there. Heaven knows, most of you are overweight and wouldn’t know you a dumbell from a barbell from a kettlebell, but if you do suddenly get the urge to exercise make sure it isn’t the gym at Daresbury Park.
Don’t go swimming there. Since we’ve already established that you won’t be using the gym, it’s probably best that you don’t put yourself in any situation that involve parading around in public while wearing a swimming costume. A moral bastion such as yourself will know better than to inflict the sight of your wobbly thighs on the rest of society.
Don’t go to the restaurant there. With so many takeaway delivery options available in the Warrington and Runcorn areas, why put yourself through the hassle of going out. Stay in your pyjamas, log into Netflix and let the kebabs come to YOU.
So I repeat – Boycott Daresbury Park Hotel.
Also, boycott all other hospitality and retail services in the local area. They might have voted Labour, employed undesirables or had undesirable customers at some point. Far better to stay at home watching your made in UK TV, scrolling on your made in UK phone and wearing your made in UK pyjamas. Warm and comfy and safe like a true patriot.
Rule Britannia! But not Britannia hotels. Down with Britannia hotels, but up with Britannia!