Hotel developer still under active investigation into conduct as director The Scottish Mutual Building in Belfast city centre. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Lawrence Kenwright.
THE developer behind the stalled George Best Hotel project in Belfast is still under active investigation by the Department for the Economy over his conduct as director in the lead up to the company falling into administration.
It comes as a number of bedroom investors, who contributed around £4.1 million to the hotel in the Scottish Mutual Building, announced they are backing Lawrence Kenwright’s efforts to regain control of the Belfast city centre scheme.
Administrators were appointed to Bedford Hotel Ltd in April 2020 after an application by finance firm Lyell Trading, who were owed £7.2 million by the company at the time.
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A legal agreement has been struck between 95% of the developer’s 300 unsecured creditors and its founder Lawrence Kenwright to draw up a plan that could see assets such as Liverpool hotels The Shankly and 30 James Street bought out of administration, the parties say.
Sarah Townsend
A legal agreement has been struck between 95% of the developer’s 300 unsecured creditors and its founder Lawrence Kenwright to draw up a plan that could see assets such as Liverpool hotels The Shankly and 30 James Street bought out of administration, the parties say.
The rescue strategy would also relate to several of Signature Living Group’s uncompleted development sites across Liverpool and Greater Manchester, including a 123-apartment project at 60 Old Hall Street in Liverpool and the conversion of the grade two-listed Victoria Mill in Miles Platting into 85 flats.
Administrators at Duff & Phelps were appointed on 15 April 2020 to Signature Living Hotel, which holds various freehold and leasehold interests of the wider Signature Living Group run by Kenwright. Duff & Phelps later reported that the entity collapsed owing £113m to investors.