Second city Hilton for Baltic Triangle

Sep 11 2008 by Alex Turner, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL’S second Hilton Hotel is to anchor a £47m development in the Baltic Triangle, which yesterday secured significant funding.

The Kings Dock Mill development will also include 188 apartments and 3,600 sq ft of office space.

Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets confirmed yesterday it had agreed to provide £22.5m to architect-developer LAG Prichard despite the ongoing economic uncertainty.

The scheme has already received £5m mezzanine funding from Investec Private Bank.

Jonathon Prichard, of Liverpool-based LAG Prichard, believes this agreement shows the confidence and strength within the city.

“This development is another sign of Liverpool’s continued renaissance – the fact that we secured funding for this scheme and can now start on site in the current market place shows its quality and the confidence we have in the city. We’ve worked closely with the city council and Liverpool Vision to ensure that the scheme is in keeping with the existing architecture in this area of Liverpool.”

The 151-bedroom hotel will be operated under the Hampton by Hilton brand, which is the firm’s vehicle to enter the economy hotel market. Hampton by Hilton Liverpool City is only the third to be commissioned in the UK, with others planned for Corby and Birmingham.

A Hilton spokesperson said: “Liverpool is a key location as we seek to introduce the Hilton family of hotels in the UK.”

It is part of Hilton’s ambition to double the number of hotels it has in the UK to 150 within a decade. It will be run as a franchise by Somerston Hotels.

The hotel is due to open at the end of 2009. The 1.5-acre Kings Dock Mill development, which is on the former site of flag manufacturers Porter Bros, is due to be completed in January 2010.