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Scottish serviced suites firm confirms first English venture
21st December
The leading independent serviced suites operator The Spires has confirmed the acquisition of 24 apartments in central Birmingham, its first venture into the English market.
The £3.8m deal follows similar developments in Glasgow and Aberdeen, where The Spires is based. The new suites – part of a growing trend away from conventional hotels – are expected to be ready for bookings in March 2007.
The 24 apartments are part of the Viva development in Commercial Street, at the centre of Birmingham’s shopping and leisure district and adjacent to the high-profile Mailbox development.
The Spires, created in Aberdeen 10 years ago, operates similar centres in the city’s Great Western Road, and at the Pinnacle in Bothwell Street, Glasgow.
“Our serviced suites are a haven for business or independent travellers. Instead of an impersonal hotel environment, The Spires offers a ‘home from home’ and we enjoy a very high return rate among customers, which reflects the growing popularity of the concept,” explained Margaret Beattie, managing director of The Spires.
“We are keen to expand across the UK, and we studied various options in Birmingham throughout last year. It is an increasingly popular destination, a very attractive city and the location of the Viva development is vital to our growth plans.”
The development of one and two-bed suites is close to the fashionable Gas Street canal basin area and within a short walk of key attractions including the International Convention Centre, the National Indoor Arena and the Bullring retail centre. Several suites enjoy private rooftop terraces and patios.
The Spires take possession of the property in early February 2007 and expect to complete a tailored fit-out to be open in March. “Birmingham will provide further proof of the concept of high-quality serviced suites as an alternative to hotels. We anticipate that most of our customers will be business travellers, but there is also a growing market for independent travellers,” added Margaret Beattie.
Contact:
Maurice Smith, TVI
Tel. 0141 552 9877
maurice.smith@tvi-ltd.co.uk
Margaret Beattie, The Spires
0845 270 0090
About The Spires
The Spires is the trading name of Burnhaven Properties ltd., founded in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1994. The company began operations in its native city, but has recently expanded into Glasgow and Birmingham.
The Spires specialises in providing high-quality serviced suites to business and private travellers, as a “homely” alternative to hotels. It has a number of contracts with several leading companies.
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