Deadline for reclaiming overpaid business rates looms

Manchester-based Commercial Valuers and Surveyors can help hoteliers to reclaim an average of £81,343 from overpaid business rates over the last five years. Make sure you are not one of the many hoteliers who is unaware that their rates can be challenged. CVS believed that the hotels of Manchester could save a combined £7.2m if they successfully challenge the rates.

The deadline is on March 31 2010. It's worth making sure that you have been paying the correct amount.

Unloading and loading clarified.

Roger Barberis of CityCo has confirmed the allowances for waiting outside hotels in Manchester. Manchester Parking allow 15 minutes at the entrances of all hotels throughout the City, to facilitate guests loading and unloading.

The Future Hotel – the original modern hotel school

I am delighted to share the latest drawings for The Future Hotel with our Members.

These drawings [prepared by Stephenson Bell] are the proposals approved by the Manchester Hoteliers Association for the Northgate site of the city close to the development of the new Co-operative Headquarters building, which goes in to construction in 2010.

The drawings demonstrate the layout of this 80-bedroom hotel. The training aspects of the hotel influence every feature of the design, yet for the guest the facilities will be a seamless, modern, upscale hotel. The site takes in to account the historic nature of the location of Arkwright’s original mill which was destroyed in 1940 ands sits at the piazza side of the layout. The design includes a restaurant, destination bar, auditorium, a high number of smaller meeting rooms, large kitchen and preparation area and a full spa and pool facility. The final look of the building is not shown on these plans, if the proposal proceeds, there will further discussions required.

Members will be aware that an alternative solution is also being considered for the Princess and Whitworth Street site. We have no further information regarding this proposal beyond the Christie and Co survey carried out in late November.

I am also delighted to announce that we have the support of all the appropriate local and national organisations, and institutions for this very exciting project.

Stephen Miles

Chairman

For more information on the Manchester Hotel, visit www.worldclassservice.co.uk

Kate Threlfall

If you are looking for live music for your hotel, World Class Service Ltd would recommend Kate Threlfall.

Kate is a singer, songwriter and pianist. Visit her myspace for a good idea of her music.

Email Kate for more information.

Jason Harding heading to Dubai

The General Manager of the RoccoForte Lowry Hotel in Manchester is leaving his post to run The Palace in Dubai. His successor is yet to be named.