Industry news for the Hotel and Conference business

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Mercure Leeds Centre opens September

Mercure Leeds Centre opens September

Mercure Leeds Centre is set to open this...

Indigo coming to Chester

Indigo coming to Chester

Construction has started on the new...

Dalata plan new Manchester Hotel

Dalata plan new Manchester Hotel

Dalata Hotel Group is planning to open a new...

Dalata plan new London Hotel

Dalata plan new London Hotel

Dalata Hotel Group will be the operators of a...

New Hotel opens in Glasgow

New Hotel opens in Glasgow

  A new hotel has just opened in...

  • Mercure Leeds Centre opens September

    Mercure Leeds Centre opens September

  • Indigo coming to Chester

    Indigo coming to Chester

  • Dalata plan new Manchester Hotel

    Dalata plan new Manchester Hotel

  • Dalata plan new London Hotel

    Dalata plan new London Hotel

  • New Hotel opens in Glasgow

    New Hotel opens in Glasgow


Surf Snowdonia is a new surfing and water sports park under construction in the village of Dolgarrog, set in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park in north Wales. Surf Snowdonia will open in July 2015.

Surf Snowdonia features a 300 metre-long ‘Wavegarden’, an artificial surfing lagoon with waves of varying heights up to 6ft and designed for all abilities from beginners to professional surfers. Surf Snowdonia will also host events, competitions and surfing demonstrations. The facilities will be available for corporate days out and for team-building events. Camping pods will be available for overnight stays.

A hub building will complement the Wavegarden facility. This will include a glass-fronted café, restaurant and bar as well as changing facilities. Other activities around the site will include woodland trails and outdoor events spaces. Accommodation units are pencilled in for future development.

Surf Snowdonia is seven miles from the main A55 North Wales arterial route and approximately an hour and half from Liverpool and Manchester city centres.

Details: www.surfsnowdonia.co.uk


Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire is set to launch itself as a venue for corporate away days, team building and conferences following the refurbishment of its Edwardian pavilion and the restoration of its lake.

The Pavilion will be the main venue for events. It has just undergone a £200,000 refurbishment including restoration of its original Edwardian features. It will accommodate up to 1,000 delegates. Company away days and team building sessions are available utilising Wicksteed Park’s extensive facilities. Activities include orienteering, canoeing, archery and a Rush zip wire - claiming to be UK’s tallest and longest with a top speed of 40mph.

Wicksteed Park is set in 147 acres of parkland. The Kettering park was founded in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed as part of his vision to inspire and encourage play as part of families’ health and well-being. Wicksteed Park is located on the outskirts of Kettering and close to the A14 at junction 10.

Details: www.wicksteedpark.org


easyHotel, the budget hotel brand, has purchased the freehold of a building on Castle Street in Liverpool. The group plan to develop a 68-bedroom hotel in the property, subject to planning approval.

The building currently houses office space and a restaurant. The ground floor restaurant will remain with the four upper storeys converted into the hotel space. Spring 2016 is the anticipated opening date for easyHotel Liverpool.

easyHotel Liverpool will be a three minute walk from the Liverpool One shopping area, ten minutes from Liverpool Lime Street Station and close to the Albert Dock and the ACC Liverpool conference centre.

Details:    www.easyhotel.com

On-site construction work starts next month on the new Dorsett City hotel in the City of London. The 13-storey, 270-bedroom hotel will be the second Dorsett hotel to open in London.

Dorsett City hotel will open on the site of the former Matrix building in Aldgate, next to Aldgate tube station and the 18th century St Botolph Church. The hotel will include a restaurant, fitness centre and 1,600 sq. ft. of meeting and event space.

Completion is expected by December 2016.

Details: www.constructionenquirer.com


The Natural History Museum in London has launched its latest exhibition and venue space ‘Coral Reefs: Secret Cities of the Sea’. The exhibition features coral that was collected first-hand by Charles Darwin, an enormous Grouper fish and an ancient Turbinaria coral. The exhibition also includes a live aquarium, a small cinema screening and an interactive experience where delegates can virtually swim through coral reefs.

'Coral Reefs' is available to hire as venue space or to combine with the other locations in the museum. The space has a recommended capacity of 150 guests. The exhibition is open until 13th September 2015.

Simon Kershaw, head of events and catering at the Natural History Museum, said: “We’re always considering new ways to reinvent and develop the venue spaces in the Museum, keeping them as exciting and current as possible. We normally have at least two additional exhibitions open at any given time'.

The Natural History Museum is located in Cromwell Road, five minutes from South Kensington tube station.

Details:   www.nhm.ac.uk