Hotels in Liverpool city centre see highest number of bookings at the start of a year since 2018. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool hotels have enjoyed their best start to the year for six years, new figures show.

According to data from Liverpool City Council, more than 137,000 rooms were sold in the city in January, 15,000 more than the same month in 2023.

Although it is just one month’s figures, if the trend continues to the end of the year it could see 2m hotel rooms sold in Liverpool for the first time since 2018.

There are currently 7,550 hotel rooms in Liverpool city centre. Around half of those rooms have been created since the city was European Capital of Culture in 2008.

And there are more rooms in the pipeline. At the beginning of February Liverpool developer Craig Greenwood secured a deal for the Motto by Hilton brand to run the new £35m hotel he is creating in Mathew Street above the famous Cavern Club.

Craig, who has also built up a successful air-conditioning and ventilation supply business, acquired the former Cavern Walks site in 2022 from Signature Living. He set about creating a 125-room hotel.

However, this franchise agreement between Hilton, Craig’s Greenwood Developments and property investor JSM, will mean the hotel will now have 283 rooms. Craig is seeking approval from Liverpool City Council for the change of plans.

And in October 2023 city planners gave the green light to plans to convert the former George Henry Lee department store in Liverpool city centre into a 175-bed Accor hotel.

Weeks before Dubai-based developer Landlab revealed the £25m project for 20-48 Basnett Street. Expected to open in 2025, the hotel will be operated by French hospitality company Accor under its Mama Shelter brand.

In December 2022 hoteliers and accommodation providers in Liverpool voted 84% in favour of establishing the city’s third Business Improvement District (BID).

This is run by Liverpool BID Company which also operates the Retail & Leisure BID and Culture & Commerce BID. Combined the three BIDs now represent more than 800 city centre businesses.

This Accommodation BID will spend £4.3m over the next few years a chunk of which will be used for a destination marketing campaign, supporting the ACC Liverpool complex to continue selling the city to the global conference and events market.

Liverpool BID Company chief executive Bill Addy, told LBN: “This data really illustrates the buoyancy throughout the hotel sector and the demand for the city as a destination, be that for business or tourism.

“The decision to establish an Accommodation BID is part of the sector wanting to invest in attracting conferences and major events to help maintain that vibrancy.

“Our visitor economy is such an important and vital ingredient in the city and wider city region that this commitment helps to show private sector support for keeping the city economy strong and competitive.”