German hotel company RIMC Hotels & Resorts acquires the 30 James Street hotel, the former White Star Line headquarters, in Liverpool in multi-million pound deal. Tony McDonough reports
30 James Street hotel in Liverpool has been bought out of administration in a multi-million pound deal with “significant investment” promised by the new owner.
German hotel company RIMC Hotels & Resorts has acquired the Grade II-listed building, formerly the headquarters of the White Star shipping line, for an undisclosed sum from administrators Moorfields Advisory.
Moorfields had been trying to sell the hotel, located on the corner of James Street and The Strand, for some time. It was opened by Liverpool firm Signature Living in 2014 and the company put it up for sale in 2019 with an asking price of £17m.
It later collapsed into administration before a buyer could be found. Property agency Savills then sought a buyer for the site in 2020. It appointed Legacy Hotels, which runs the Pullman Hotel at ACC Liverpool, to run it. It was seeking £12.5m for the property but, again, no buyer would meet the asking price.
Now RIMC has stepped forward and completed a deal for the 63-bedroom hotel that also includes the Carpathia Champagne Bar and Restaurant on the seventh floor. There is also an outdoor terrace with views of the Mersey River and Liverpool waterfront.
30 James Street was designed by celebrated Victorian architect Norman Shaw, who also designed New Scotland Yard in London. It was originally constructed as the headquarters of the White Star shipping line owner of the ill-fated Titanic.
The building was completed in 1896. Its banded red brick and white Portland Stone has earned it the nickname locally as the ‘streaky bacon building’.
The hotel also houses a grand hall, providing extensive conference and banqueting facilities, as well as a spa with three treatment rooms and an indoor pool.
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Tom Cunningham, hotels director at Savills comments: “We’re pleased to complete the sale of this iconic city centre hotel.
“30 James Street provides quality accommodation and desirable amenities in a standout location, and we look forward to seeing the hotel take on its next chapter.”
Duncan Gray, managing director of RIMC UK, added: “We are delighted to have acquired 30 James Street as our first UK acquisition and plan significant investment into the property and business to create an exciting and unique offer, befitting of such a prestigious building in the fantastic city of Liverpool.”
DWF Law LLP acted for the purchaser. Law firm Hogan Lovell acted for the vendor.