Hotel licence row prompts rebrand
ABOUTIQUE hotel has been forced to change its name after a former director demanded £20k a month.
Waterfront Southport Hotel was formerly known as Bliss before it was revealed through documents submitted to Companies House that the four-star hotel took the decision to change its name due to a £20,000 a month charge by one of its former directors.
The move came after the hotel was placed into administration and put up for sale.
The hotel is on Southport’s waterfront next to the Marine Lake and the proposed Marine Lake Events Centre.
It includes 131 bedrooms and penthouses, a lounge bar, restaurant, roof garden, gym, conferencing and events space, as well as secure underground car parking for 120 cars.
The sale came after the operational real estate team at CBRE in Manchester was appointed by Waterfront Southport Properties Ltd to advise on the future of the Bliss Hotel and adjoining major development opportunity on the Waterfront.
In the notice of administrator’s proposals submitted towards the end of last year, it said: “The company had traded under the Bliss’ brand under licence, the licence being attributable to one of the former directors.
“The licence was terminated on the appointment of administrators.
“We negotiated with the director for continued use of the licence which was agreed. We considered the cost of this at £20,000 per month was unsustainable and took the decision to rebrand.
“The company is now trading under the brand Waterfront Southport Hotel. We are also in discussions to be supported by a major hotel brand operator.”
Paul Davies and Sandra Mundy, partners of James Cowper Kreston, were appointed joint administrators of Waterfront Hotels (Southport) Limited and Waterfront Southport Properties Limited, trading as Bliss Hotel Southport, on September 28, 2022.
Mr Davies said: “We do not comment in relation to the name or any other contractual matter.
“Regarding the sale of the business, we are continuing negotiations with a number of interested parties.”