Newcastle Area HOTELS - Of the present, the past, and plans for the future

[newcastlepubs]

Do you mean the proposed Hotel at 13 Grey Street - the one that will run through to the Cloth Market?

Yes, the suggestion that it's going to be the Dorchester on Tyne seems... brave. Cloth Market.... Park Lane. Hmmmm. It would make sense if it were another stag n hen place. I can vaguely see it if the entrance is on Grey St, but they'd still need a noise barrier of motorway proportions for the Cloth Market end rooms.

Anyway, isn't the Grey Street Hotel on the other side of the road a four star and that stands in what must be a busy thoroughfare for Newcastle Night Life.

Mixed reviews on TripAdvisor @ http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUse...ECK_RATES_CONT

Mixed in the sense of generally not really that good .

There is a big difference between the locations at night - I often walk past as I live fairly close by... The car noise would be about the same, perhaps a little less because of Grey St being 'open', albeit not really a thoroughfare these days with the pedestrianised top bit, and Cloth market being even less busy.

The real difference would be at the back; you have some of the dodgiest pubs in Newcastle within metres of the back wall.

• Destiny - with a 3am licence.
• Stealth/Affinity with a 3am licence
• Circuit 1 with a 1am licence
• Pumphreys with a 1am licence
• Bar 24 [is it still open] with a mere midnight licence

That's not even considering the stuff further up the road. The cloth market is a loud pedestrianised sewer from about mid night and the prospect of the noise at 3am chuck out is horrific.

Grey st is positioned differently with the [joyous] demise of Linekers, and the only slightly less cheering closure of Attic, the bars [noisily] close to Grey St are The Lodge [sh#t, but not Cloth Market sh#t]. The home time punter drainage to the west of St Nic's is really to the west and the station. It's also policed differently with behaviour that would be tolerated in Bigg/Cloth Market likely to be stamped on more quickly on genteel Grey st.

One interesting point on Grey St. I've not verified this, but one reviewer says:

It’s hardly surprising that this hotel has not been through the Visit Britain Quality Assured assessment, they’d definitely be told to re-grade from their self appointed 4* status.

[Newcastle Historian]

Travelodge plan new hotel in Northumberland
by Stephen Cape, The Journal, August 15th 2011


BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge plans to open 37 sites near the UK’s 15 national parks – including one in Northumberland.

The group, which has 475 hotels in the UK and abroad, said the £135m expansion drive was in response to high customer demand for hotels close to the UK’s top rural locations.

Its property team will focus on finding sites such as the Northumberland National Park, Grasmere in the Lake District and Betws-y-Coed, in Snowdonia.

In the region the firm hopes, subject to planning permission, to build one hotel with more than 100 bedrooms. But the company may find as many as three sites, with bosses saying nothing has been ruled out at this stage.

But in Northumberland there has been a mixed response. Coun Brian Douglas, a member of the Northumberland National Park, welcomed the news. He said: “I am glad that businesses are willing to invest in the national park and that they have identified tourist traps. But it depends on where they want to build in the area.”

The National Trust remained cautious. Head of marketing in the North East Joanna Royle said: “In the case of Travelodge’s plans each location would need to be considered within the local context.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1V5LuK2oF

[Irish Blood English Heart]

A bit lacking in information on where it's going to be but I can't see a 100 bed hotel being filled anywhere in Northumberland!

[WilfBurnsFan]

Unless it's going to be a stag and hen hive, no (OK, I know that's not the administrative county). But good news if it does come about.

[Adrian_Swall]

There are certainly a lot of hotels (eight perhaps) being built or planned in the NewcastleGateshead and the wider NE. I just wonder how many jobs overall they will create and how many will go to locals. Could / should councils insist as part of planning approval that a high percentage of the jobs must go to local people (75%?) as well as a number of apprentices? This would be an excellent way of getting some of our young people into good quality work.

[Northern Engineer]

Originally Posted by Adrian_Swall

There are certainly a lot of hotels (eight perhaps) being built or planned in the NewcastleGateshead and the wider NE. I just wonder how many jobs overall they will create and how many will go to locals. Could / should councils insist as part of planning approval that a high percentage of the jobs must go to local people (75%?) as well as a number of apprentices? This would be an excellent way of getting some of our young people into good quality work.

I think there needs to be a mix of apprentices, locals and non local staff. Especially if you want to attract talent to the area to bring in new ideas and to provide high level of service..... one thing the North East hasnt lived up to in compared to hotels in other areas of the country .

I also think its not the councils place to make restrictions like that with the comment above and if they did then it should focus on higher skilled apprentiships rather than hotel staff.

[Seamaster]

Originally Posted by Adrian_Swall

There are certainly a lot of hotels (eight perhaps) being built or planned in the NewcastleGateshead and the wider NE. I just wonder how many jobs overall they will create and how many will go to locals. Could / should councils insist as part of planning approval that a high percentage of the jobs must go to local people (75%?) as well as a number of apprentices? This would be an excellent way of getting some of our young people into good quality work.

Define "local people".

[BigLebowski]

I heard a couple of the new tenants at St James Retail park received subsidies if they recruited from their local postcodes, with the presumed beneficial effects of less traffic on the roads (if more staff walk in), as well as offering employment to residents of high unemployment 'stigmatised' areas, in this case Cowgate and Blakelaw. Don't ask me how successful it was though.

Also, bear in mind that was for pretty low-skill posts, don't know how it would work for front-of-house staff in a 4-star hotel, who presumably need a bit more from their employees than just living round the corner.

[Adrian_Swall]

My comment was more based at the fact we all (I assume) want to see more economic activity in the North East and our appalling unemployment rates come down. Recruiting people from the area has to make sense for the numerous hotel operators now coming in. I guess the management and front of house roles will be filled by experienced staff and perhaps people from the hotel groups staff outside the area. Also perhaps staff from other hotels up here would consider applying for these jobs However, there are other roles like logistics, maintenance, hospitality, bars, cleaning etc that will appeal to our local young people who have never had a job before. Overall it is a better alternative than JSA surely. Perhaps councils could insist some roles should be filled by young apprentices to get them on the job ladder. Cheers Guys!

[flange]

Sandman Hotel Group enters UK market with property in Newcastle

Janet Harmer

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Canadian company, the Sandman Hotel Group, is entering the UK with the opening of a 175-bedroom hotel in Newcastle next month.

Situated in the former Scottish and Newcastle brewery site at Gallowgate, the four-star Sandman Signature hotel Newcastle will incorporate an on-site pub, the Shark Club Gastro Lounge, and a number of self-catering suites.

General manager is Kevin Gilhooly, who has worked as regional director for eastern Canada with the Sandman Hotel Group, while director of business development is Shireen Rowley.

Continues here http://www.caterersearch.com/Article...roperty-in.htm

[Newcastle Historian]

Malmaison sale and leaseback plan to cut debt levels
by Chris Knox, The Journal, August 31st 2011


THE owner of the Malmaison hotel in Newcastle has said it has “exchanged contracts” for the sale and leaseback of the site as it looks to cut its debt pile.

The sale of the hotel by MWB Malmaison Holdings Ltd, which is in-turn owned by MWB Group Holdings plc, is part of a wider refinancing process that will go some way to reducing its current debt, which stood at £272.1m on December 31 2010. The London-based company has also sold on hotels for leaseback in Charterhouse Square (London), Birmingham and Manchester.

The Charterhouse Square property is being sold to and leased back from funds managed by DEKA Immobilien GmbH, while the other three properties, including the Newcastle hotel, are being sold to and leased back from funds managed by Legal and General Property Limited.

Following the deal, the firm was keen to stress that it will retain a “robust asset backing”, with 80% of its 26-stong Malmaison and Hotel du Vin branded hotel portfolio remaining freehold or long leasehold.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business...1140-29331990/

[Newcastle Historian]

.
There are many posts about the 'construction' of this hotel, on the Downing Plaza thread, here - http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=980862

However, as it is now just about to open as a HOTEL, I thought I'd post this here on the 'Hotels' thread . .

Boutique hotel on former brewery HQ opens
by Liz Walker, Evening Chronicle, September 6th 2011


The Sandman Hotel, near St James' Park, Newcastle, opening for business today

A BOUTIQUE hotel built on the iconic site of the former headquarters of the Scottish and Newcastle Brewery opens its doors for the first time today.

The four star Sandman Signature Hotel has seen the 13-storey headquarters, the only building left standing on the former brewery site, completely refurbished in a multi-million pound development that has also created around 200 jobs.

The opening of the first phase of the plush hotel is the latest addition to the Downing Plaza which has transformed the area of the city around St James’ Park and St James’ Boulevard and will provide a gateway to the city’s wider Science Central area in Gallowgate.

The 175-bedroom hotel is a member of the Canadian Sandman Hotel Group and is the chain’s first hotel in the UK.


Read More - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north...#ixzz1XAwIyNut

[NewcastleStu]

The Chronicle displaying a stunning lack of awareness of what a "boutique" hotel actually is.

[WilfBurnsFan]

Or of the meaning of 'iconic'. Or of the fact that it wasn't built on the iconic site of the former headquarters of the Scottish and Newcastle Brewery but was a conversion of that building.

It's probably a press release by some PR grunt who has never been within 200 miles of Newcastle just bunged in the paper unread.

[geordiejon]

No it will be some thicko at the journal- it made me laugh when they said boutique and then said there was 170odd rooms almost in the same sentence!

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by Newcastle Historian

Boutique hotel on former brewery HQ opens
by Liz Walker, Evening Chronicle, September 6th 2011


The Sandman Hotel, near St James' Park, Newcastle, opening for business today

A BOUTIQUE hotel built on the iconic site of the former headquarters of the Scottish and Newcastle Brewery opens its doors for the first time today.

The four star Sandman Signature Hotel has seen the 13-storey headquarters, the only building left standing on the former brewery site, completely refurbished in a multi-million pound development that has also created around 200 jobs.

Read More - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north...#ixzz1XAwIyNut
.

I had 20 minutes to kill this morning, while "Mrs H" was at her dentists near St James' Park, so popped along to have a look at the Sandman Hotel.

I had a chat with the Manageress (I think she was) in the foyer, and saw that huge black horse with a lampshade on its head, Steve!

She told me that they could, at a pinch, open today as they had the first two floors fully ready, but that they were targetting 1st October for a full opening.

She gave me this leaflet . .



I then had a quick chat with the manager of the Shark Club, and they ARE open today, they were going to open at noon today!

He gave me this leaflet . .




Turned out to be quite an interesting morning!!

[WilfBurnsFan]

But what real ales do they do?

Also the idea of a lettuce wrap seems a bit out of character!

[alf stone]

"With over 40 flat screen TV’s and a huge 3D projector".

My idea of Hell, I think I shall give it a miss. Anybody know of a pub in Newcastle that doesn't have a TV?

[WilfBurnsFan]

Call me a snob, but if a place labels itself a 'gastro bar' I'd expect rather more than burgers, chicken wings, pizza and steak sandwiches.

[thenorthumbrian]

Originally Posted by geordiejon

No it will be some thicko at the journal- it made me laugh when they said boutique and then said there was 170odd rooms almost in the same sentence!

When did the phrase boutique start getting used to describe a hotel anyway ?
Isn't it just a poncy name for, well. a hotel ?
Does it matter that much ?