Candidates clash on plan to purchase Grand Hotel
A North Yorkshire mayoral candidate’s pledge to buy Scarborough’s Grand Hotel has been criticised by rivals as ‘financially unviable’.
Keane Duncan, the Conservative candidate for York andNorthYorkshire’snewmayor, says that if elected he would buyScarborough’sGrandHotel using a compulsory purchase order if necessary.
When it opened in 1867 the Grade-II listed hotel was the largest in Europe but in recent years the Grand Hotel has received attention in the form of online reviews and videos documenting its poor condition.
Mr Duncan said that “the bargain hotel, run by the UK’s worst-rated chain, Britannia” has “an infamous reputation that is damaging the town’s prospects”.
However, his plans have been criticised by fellow candidatesand have received a mixed response from members of the public.
Independent candidate Keith Tordoff said the plan would “never be delivered in real terms” while Liberal Democrat candidate Felicity Cunliffe-Lister said ,“this isn’t the way to generate growth”.
Concerns have also been raised about the financial viability of purchasing the hotel which is not currently up for sale.
In a campaign video published this morning, Mr Duncan said that“the Grand defines Scarborough” and that he was “pledging to buy [it] using new
mayoral powers and funding” to“wrestle the hotel from Britannia’s hands, negotiate a sale, and use compulsory purchase if required”.
He added that he wanted to “ensure the Grand is grand again” and“kick start the town’ s regeneration in the process and
return Scarborough to its glory days”
Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said :“As a hotelier myself I can’ t see any sense in this.
“Keane Duncan has just blown his annual budget in free car parking, and now he’s going to run a hotel? Without doubt Scarborough needs investment,but this isn’ t the way to generate growth and create high-skilled jobs.
"With my tourism strategy, I will work with business, not against it.”
Independent candidate Keith Tordoff added: “I think it is typical Conservative promises before an election which will never be delivered in real terms. I think Mr Duncan has already spent the £18m budget that the mayor gets in the first year on the various project she’ s promised.
“The mayor should work with the owners to make sure that it actually raises the standards so that it attracts tourism for Scarborough, which the town needs.”
Speaking at a BBC hustings, Labour candidate DavidSkai th mentioned the Grand Hotel proposal, stating :“We have a finite amount of money–we will get more money overtime, we’ ll bring more investment in with a Labour government – but we have to be sensible and make it go a long way.”
The proposals have also received a mixed reaction from locals and residents.
One local commented on an online post of the video: “Well said Keane – this area needs young, forward-thinkingenthusiastic people to drive growth and investment.”
Another person commented: “Hopefully your plan for this is a very long way down the road, there is so much more to bed one and this would be such a huge distraction.”
Britannia Hotels did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.