Hampton by Hilton hotel to be built in St Helens town centre

Hilton, the global hospitality company, has selected St Helens as the location for a new Hampton by Hilton hotel, the Star can reveal.

Developers say it will become one of the "anchor brands at the heart of the transformational regeneration programme now getting underway in the town centre".

The agreement with St Helens Borough Council is described as one of the centrepieces of a scheme that is currently being delivered with ECF, a partnership between Homes England, Legal & General and Muse.

Hotel design and features

Located on Bickerstaffe Street, Hampton by Hilton St Helens will feature 96 guest rooms over four floors, plus 16 long-stay guest rooms - suited for families and business travellers staying at the hotel for an extended period of time - and eight fully accessible rooms.

Guests will also have access to fitness facilities. Two flexible ground floor meeting rooms are expected to be available for hire by business and leisure guests, as well as non-residents.

The hotel, the design of which is expected to feature a nod to St Helens' rich heritage, will form part of a mixed-use area that includes 64 "high-quality homes, a new market hall and 11,000 square feet of modern retail space".

Subject to planning approval, work on the new hotel is set to begin in 2025, with clearance of the existing site before the construction phase begins.

An estimated completion date of 2027 has been drawn up.

The hotel's design will link together with "attractive, sustainable public spaces" and represent Phase One of the St Helens town centre transformation.

The developments will be built on land currently occupied by the Hardshaw Centre shopping area, which closed in July and is due to be demolished.

The hotel will be opposite a new bus station which will replace the existing dated facility and is a two-minute walk from St Helens Central train station as part of an extended multi-modal transport interchange.

Since plans for the town centre regeneration were revealed, some Star readers have questioned the purpose of a central hotel, however, those leading the transformation suggest their research points to the need for one, particularly to cater for business travellers.

Strong ambitions

Councillor Anthony Burns, leader of St Helens Borough Council, said: “This is wonderful news for St Helens and another big win for our borough.

"We have strong ambitions for the future and the Hampton by Hilton brand fits perfectly into our vision.

"A new high-quality hotel brand offering will help St Helens to retain, grow and attract businesses and boost our visitor economy.

"This is all part of a journey we are on to provide opportunities for people to live, work, visit, stay and invest in our fantastic borough.

"It is also a further endorsement of our transformation strategy with Hilton having the confidence to associate its trusted brand with a return to the town centre after a lengthy absence.

“Before exploring the idea of a new town centre hotel, the council carried out extensive consultation and market testing.

"The overwhelming feedback – especially from the business community – backed the idea of including new high-quality hotel in the mix of uses alongside the new market, retail spaces and new homes.

"The council duly received multiple competitive bids from international hotel brands and operators for this opportunity, reflecting the strength of case for bringing a high-quality hotel franchise to the heart of our town centre.”

Representatives of St Helens Council, ECF and Hilton have reached an agreement (Image: ECF) Graham Dodd, managing director, development, UK & Ireland, Hilton, said that as St Helens town centre undergoes a significant regeneration the company is "delighted to partner with the council to bring this fantastic hotel to life".

He added: "Hampton by Hilton St Helens will provide an ideal base for the growing number of business travellers visiting the local area, and we look forward to being part of the council’s vision to create a thriving new town centre development.”

On behalf of ECF, Matt Whiteley, senior development manager, said "the commitment of Hilton, a global hospitality company, is another step forward towards our goal of long-term and sustainable transformation of a town centre, making it more attractive for local people and visitors alike".

Hampton by Hilton brand and design

Hampton by Hilton hotels serve travellers at more than 3,000 properties in 40 countries and territories around the globe.

The company says the "brand prides itself on providing guests with high quality, thoughtfully designed accommodations and amenities, such as modern, spacious rooms and a free hot breakfast included with every stay".

The detailed design of the new hotel is the subject of a planning process, which is set to be completed this autumn and has been directly informed by feedback from the extensive consultation exercises undertaken by ECF and the Council.

Several rooms will be adapted to provide for longer stay corporate business visitors and plans for its exterior to reflect much-loved local heritage.

Business travellers

St Helens is said to be attracting increasing numbers of business travellers because of developments such as Glass Futures, SINA medical glass and the major employers in the area, coupled with the success of its sporting and leisure attractions.

The borough is also set to be one of the main beneficiaries of Liverpool City Region’s new status as a Life Sciences Investment Zone.

The St Helens Manufacturing and Innovation Campus is part of the Investment Zone, which it is claimed has the potential to deliver £800m of public and private investment, creating 8,000 new jobs across Liverpool City Region as a whole.