A Merseyside hospitality firm has put its two best-known hotels up for sale in a move it says will help "fuel major expansion plans".
Signature Living has put The Shankly Hotel and 30 James Street on the market and is now looking for offers for the city centre venues, with the combined figure standing at £51m, the Liverpool Echo reports .
The company is looking to offload the Grade II-listed 30 James Street hotel for offers of £16 million or over.
The hotel, themed around the White Star Line shipping company, contains 63 nautical-themed rooms as well as a rooftop terrace bar, restaurant, events space and spa facilities.
At the same time, Signature Living boss Lawrence Kenwright is accepting bids of over £35m for The Shankly - a hotel with 59 apart-hotel style bedrooms that is based upon the legendary Liverpool FC boss Bill Shankly.
The well-known Victoria Street venue, which opened in 2015, also includes the Bastion Bar and restaurant, two event suites, two roof top terraces and an underground car park.
Lawrence Kenwright reveals plans to sell 30 James Street and Shankly Hotels
Speaking about the decision to sell, Mr Kenwright said: "Signature Living has developed and operated two of Liverpool’s most successful hotels ever with The Shankly and 30 James Street.
"The hotels are huge tourism beacons in their own right, turning over incredible profits."
He added: "The profits from the sale of the hotels will allow us to fuel major expansion plans. This is an exciting new era for Signature Living. We’re looking forward to the future – a future that involves new developments across the UK.”
In May, the Liverpool Echo quizzed Mr Kenwright on claims from some investors in his hotels that they had struggled to get the money they were owed from the company.
Signature said a large proportion of investors have now been bought out - including all of those who invested in 30 James Street.
The company said remaining investors are currently being bought out.
