Consortia vote for merger

Independent hotel consortia Best Western and Consort are to go ahead with their planned merger. Members of both groups have backed the proposal by large majorities.

The new group, which will have almost 400 hotels, is to trade as Best Western Hotels - with its base at Consort's headquarters in Clifton Moor, York. Consort's current chief executive, David Hayes, has been appointed to lead the management team.

Group members backed their boards' recommendations during two meetings held in London on Monday. Best Western hoteliers voted by 143 to 32 in favour of the plan, with more than 81% of members taking part in the vote. Consort hoteliers supported the merger by 118 to 6, with about 72% voting.

For the proposal to go ahead, a majority of 75% of those voting needed to offer their support. Some 87% of voters backedthe plan.

Commenting on those who dissented, Consort's chairman Jeremy Willcock said: "Some members felt they didn't know enough to make a decision, but it was generally felt that speed was necessary."

Willcock and Best Western chairman John Millican said the merger would provide greater economies of scale and improved marketing, sales and purchasing opportunities.

"We have a combined structure of 18,000 rooms stretching from John O'Groats to Land's End," said Millican. "This makes us the largest hotel grouping in the UK."

Both consortia will trade as normal for the rest of the year, and it is expected that the current Best Western headquarters at Kingston upon Thames will close.

It remains unclear how many redundancies will result from the merger.