Signature Living targets Manchester for George Best hotel
Signature Living, the developer and operator behind Liverpool's Shankly hotel, is scouting properties in Manchester with the intention of opening a George Best-themed hotel.
The idea is backed by the Best family, who have agreed to work with Signature Living on the project to pay tribute to the late football player's life.
The new hotel prospect follows Signature Living's 83-bedroom Shankly hotel which opened in 2015, a joint collaboration between the Shankly family and Signature Living dedicated to former Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly. The hotel includes memorabilia from Shankly's time as manager of the club, including trophies and personal items which were released by his family to be displayed in the hotel restaurant and museum.
Signature Living wants to replicate this with a George Best hotel, and is searching for a suitable building. The hotel would be expected to have its own similar museum space dedicated to the footballer, as well as a restaurant.
The company is also developing a boutique hotel in Preston's old post office building and will open a 200-bedroom hotel at Cardiff's historic Coal Exchange building in April.
Signature Living founder, Lawrence Kenwright, said: "We're starting our search for a building in Manchester for the George Best hotel and are keen to hear from anyone with ideas about suitable locations. We will be collaborating with the Best family on this special project and are looking forward to delivering this once we find an appropriate venue to create the hotel.
"I personally am incredibly excited at the prospect of bringing a George Best hotel to Manchester. It will be a tourist destination in its own right and will add a different dimension to Manchester's burgeoning accommodation offer."
Signature Living's media spokesperson Dan Hughes added: "The development of Signature Living's Shankly hotel in Liverpool attracted worldwide media attention and I have absolutely no doubt that the George Best hotel will do the same."
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