A town centre hotel is to be rebranded and upgraded to four stars as part of a seven-figure investment programme hailed as a ‘pledge of faith’ in Northampton’s future.
The Park Inn is currently run under the Radisson banner but will become a Mercure next year as part of the rebrand. Parent company Accor announced the deal and said the revamped hotel will be a joint venture between real estate fund manager Frogmore and C1 Capital Partners.
The 146-room Mercure Northampton will be operated under a franchise agreement and the extensive renovation will see a real focus on the ‘market town’ history of Northampton, celebrating both the history and future of the Market Square.
General Manager Simon Smith said:
“This is the start of an exciting journey as we become the town centre’s first four-star hotel. It is a signal of intent and a pledge of faith in Northampton, where we want to establish ourselves as a real asset to the community.
“Business travellers will be able to use the hotel’s 12 meeting rooms – with a combined capacity of up to 600 guests – and the hotel’s business centre, while visitors to the town can enjoy home comforts and use as the perfect base to explore the town and county’s rich culture and heritage.
“The hotel will be themed around the concept of a Market Square, with concessions for small local independents. We already have Yellow Bourbon supplying our coffee area and we hope to develop partnerships with many other local businesses in the months to come to emphasis our commitment to the local area.”
The Park Inn joins Stifford Hall hotel in Thurrock, Essex in switching to Mercure as part of the deal.
Philip Lassman, Vice President Development, Accor Northern Europe said:
“It is great to see the continued expansion of the Mercure brand across the UK. These signings are the latest announcements within a strong pipeline across Europe, signifying the strength of the internationally recognised Mercure brand and industry-leading services to boost revenues for hotel owners, alongside the ability to retain the individual style and character of a boutique hotel.”
John Matthews, Director of Asset Management, Frogmore added:
“These hotels offer great amenities for both business and leisure travellers. They are ideal properties for the Mercure brand and will benefit greatly from the power of Accor’s distribution and other services. Following the renovations, we look forward to working with Accor and seeing the success of both hotels.”
The hotel has recently benefited from the makeover of the nearby St Katherine’s Gardens and the redevelopment of the Market Square is expected to further regenerate the area.
Mark Mullen, operations manager of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), said:
“It’s always pleasing to see a business commit its long-term future to Northampton and this investment is a real show of confidence in what lies ahead for the town centre.”
The Park Inn will be renamed as Northampton Town Centre Hotel from Monday, 26 June before officially becoming a Mercure next spring. All existing bookings remain unaffected by the change.
