St James Street Hotel
Moorfields were appointed as administrators over a prominent Grade II* listed 63-bedroom hotel situated on the banks of the River Mersey.
The property featured a rooftop terrace bar and restaurant with panoramic river views, a grand hall event space, and a luxury spa with treatment facilities and swimming pool. Despite its prestige and prime location, the hotel had encountered significant financial challenges and was unable to continue trading in its existing structure.
Objectives
- Preserve the value of a landmark hospitality asset through continued trading
- Secure and retain staff to ensure uninterrupted service levels
- Manage all bookings, events, and weddings to safeguard customer relationships and income
- Maintain regulatory compliance for health and safety, licensing, and insurance
- Conduct a thorough financial and operational assessment to stabilise cash flow
- Develop and execute a strategy to achieve a going concern sale of the business
Moorfields’ Actions
- Took immediate operational control of the hotel and conducted full health, safety, and regulatory compliance checks
- Worked with existing management to retain key staff and reassure customers, suppliers, and event clients
- Introduced robust cashflow monitoring and cost controls to stabilise the business during administration
- Liaised with hospitality agents to actively market the business and identify suitable purchasers
- Preserved the historic building’s value and brand reputation by ensuring service continuity and ongoing maintenance during the administration period
Results
- The hotel continued to trade as a going concern during administration
- The property and business were successfully marketed and sold to a new operator
- Jobs were protected and disruption to customers and events was minimised
- Value was maximised for creditors while safeguarding a landmark local asset
