Two of the UK’s established hotel management companies have formed a new joint venture to capitalise on the opportunities within the branded hotel market: Legacy Resorts and Hotels has joined forces with Longrose Buccleuch Management to form Branded Hotel Management Ltd (BHM).
Longrose Buccleuch, which currently operates hotels under the Doubletree by Hilton, Mercure and Best Western brands, is keen to grow market share over the next few years while Legacy wishes to expand into the branded market.
The two companies launch their new venture in time for the Annual Hotel Conference in Manchester this week.
Positive discussions, new developments
BHM has already had positive discussions with the key leading international hotel brands and investors with view to operating new developments, existing properties or conversions.
Andy Townsend, chief executive officer of Legacy, said that the two firms’ histories and market experience made a joint venture the natural choice:
“Over the last seven years Legacy has built a very solid reputation for shrewd and effective management of three and four star un-branded hotels across the UK.
“As a result we have built an infrastructure of both people and support services that enable us to expand our portfolio offering.
“We firmly believe that we can apply that same ethos successfully to the branded sector with the support and experience of Longrose Buccleuch. “We wanted to partner a company which had the experience but was looking to grow. Longrose Buccleuch perfectly fitted the bill.”
Longrose Buccleuch currently operates The Mercure Dolphin Hotel, Southampton, the DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park Hotel, and the Best Western Mosborough Hall Hotel, also in Sheffield.
Last year the firm, which is based in Derbyshire, won the Accor Hotels UK & Ireland “Accor Best Partner Award 2011″.
Longrose Buccleuch directors Garin Davies and Andrew Rouse will be on the board of BHM, along with Townsend and Legacy managing director Jim Gordon.
Davies said:
“We feel we are perfectly placed to operate more hotels but needed a greater infrastructure, and that is what Legacy possesses.We have spent several months refining our offer to the stakeholders of branded hotels and believe that the timing is spot on for a new, dynamic and fresh approach within the sector.”
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