Work starts on £8m business park hotel

Jul 2 2008 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK has started on an £8m hotel to be located within a Warrington business park.

The 103-room Ramada Encore, being built at MEPC’s Birchwood Park, will be the first hotel to be built on one of the property group’s business parks.

The opening of the 35,705sq ft hotel in winter 2008 will see the creation of around 60 full- and part-time jobs.

It will boast a restaurant, bar and coffee shop, as well as guest rooms and a work zone with data ports and free wi-fi for business travellers.

It joins Birchwood Park’s extensive portfolio of services, including the Centre with its meeting and restaurant amenities, the Alive and Well gym and fitness centre and Busy Nought to Fives nursery.

MEPC Birchwood Park managing director, Jonathan Walsh, said: “The hotel will affirm Birchwood Park as a leading North West destination for business and increase its competitiveness against city centre locations.”

The Ramada Encore is being developed by Ramcore Hotels and managed by BDL Management which also owns and operates other branded hotels such as Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn.

Ewan Campbell, managing director of Ramcore, said: “We look forward to this new opportunity to deliver our high-quality, value for money service.

“Birchwood Park is a development of increasing stature within the North West office market, and we are confident our presence on the park will bring considerable mutual benefit.”

MEPC Birchwood Park now boasts more than 145 companies including Sony Ericsson, Atkins, Serco and AMEC.

It is home to a workforce of over 4,200 people and at 123 acres in total is acknowledged as Warrington's commercial hub.

tonymcdonough