Friday 10 September 2010

Base2stay Liverpool-A Real Heritage Success for Seel Street Liverpool.

I went to the opening night at Base2stay in Seel Street last night. An old warehouse not the most in your face of buildings, one may even say just an old warehouse but the inside refurbishment has, if I may say, been a lesson in restrained style and contempary class that should be a lead to other hoteliers in Liverpool.

Why does it always have to be Iconic ( and usually end up Ichronic) when you can be confident and bold in a unassuming manner that is both pleasing and cares for the historic fabric of a building.

I spoke to Robert Nadier the Chief Executive of Base2stay and thanked him for coming to my city and restoring one of our old buildings that was languishing in decay. He, had thanked, in his opening speech, Peter Hooey from the council and The Mersey Partnership for the involvement and Liverpool Vision, of which all the usual suspects who would go to the opening of a envelope, turned up. He said that he was advised to keep the old beams by the conservation team, and they have been used as features that make a perfectly stirred blend with old and new, exactly what people want. They are about to roll out the concept further afield after the Liverpool and Kensington hotels are now open.

http://www.base2stay.com/

http://www.base2stayliverpool.com/hotel-overview.html

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186337-d1821830-Reviews-Base2stay_Liverpool-Liverpool_Merseyside_England.html

2 comments:

  1. This shows what can be done with some sympathetic planning - unlike the vandalism used to create a hotel at 6 Sir Thomas Street. Liverpool lost a fine building there because the "developers" were allowed to take the easy, short-term option of demolition. That our own council and planners allowed it was shameful.

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  2. Hurrah for this! You've dead right to say: you can be confident and bold in a unassuming manner that is both pleasing and cares for the historic fabric of a building. Absolutely true!

    But it takes a degree of intelligence to understand this. Too many property developers in Liverpool are thick-necked, shaven-headed, mouth-breathing monkey men whose concept of 'style' is culled from the tackiest of wank mags. Not sure, with the best will in the world, what the Council or planners can do about it.

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