FWP delivers five-star aparthotel luxury to Chester to meet staycation demand

Architecture, design and masterplanning practice Frank Whittle Partnership (FWP) is playing its part in the recovery of the visitor economy as the UK emerges from lockdown.

FWP is involved in several major hotel schemes across the North West of England, including the new five-star The Hotel Chester, which has now opened its doors in line with government guidelines and is looking to benefit from the predicted boom in staycations.

The Hotel Chester on Newgate Street, designed by FWP, is the brainchild of family-run hotel business Walker & Williams and is made up of 12 uniquely styled and themed apartments.

FWP has led the restoration of the building which dates to around 1782 and its transformation into a £4.6m luxury boutique aparthotel.

The building was previously used as offices and has been vacant for around 15 years. The hotel development work has taken 18 months to complete and the new destination officially opened on April 12.

Each uniquely styled apartment has a theme, including the Money Penny. The James Bond-themed luxurious and modern penthouse apartment is made up of two large living spaces connected by a floating bridge.

The tree house family apartment is built from recycled wood and is said to be “at one with nature”. Other apartments have names including Secret Garden, Flamingo and Zoo.

The Hotel Chester is the latest Walker & Williams upmarket hospitality project FWP has led on. Previous developments include The Winckley Square Hotel in Preston.

That £2.8m development has 14 individually themed bespoke apartments all with boutique interior finishes. It is also home to 263, a fine dining restaurant that has received two AA Rosettes.

FWP is also currently working on the redevelopment of Ormskirk’s former magistrates building for the hotelier.

The Derby Street courts were closed in 2016 by the Ministry of Justice and have stood empty ever since.

Walker & Williams has been given the green light to transform the building into a five-star aparthotel with 23 apartments, a restaurant, and a cocktail bar.

Brent Clayton, partner at FWP, which like Walker & Williams has its head office in Preston, said: “We have worked closely with Walker & Williams to produce something in Chester that is very, very special.

“It’s great to see the completed transformation of an historic old building and the hotel open for business.

“Walker & Williams prides itself on quality and we look to deliver stylish modern apartments for its guests, utilising every part of the property through good design.

“We’ve built up a good relationship with the client and we understand their vision and ethos. It is about creating a real sense of luxury.

“We’re also hard at work developing the plans for Ormskirk to deliver a venue that will make a real stand-out statement in the town.”

Brent added: “We’ve seen increasing interest from the hospitality and leisure sectors, as the industry looks to open up and respond to what is likely to be an ongoing trend towards domestic holidays.

“Existing operators are looking to bolster and improve their offering, while others are set on expansion and building up their portfolios to meet future demand.

Quality design always plays a major part in attracting and retaining guests and that is what we deliver.”

The Walker & Williams Group is a family business created by Max and Laura Walker-Williams. The hotelier has plans to expand its portfolio of five-star boutique aparthotels across the North West.

Operations director Max Williams said: “We have a proven track record of delivery success and we see a growing appetite for the boutique style luxury accommodation we offer as the country moves out of lockdown and people look to enjoy what places like Chester can offer.

“The five-star Hotel Chester is our finest aparthotel to date, and we are looking forward to welcoming both leisure and corporate guests.

“Once again FWP has played a major role in the design and delivery of this amazing project.”

He added: “Covid has been a real challenge for every business but even during the pandemic FWP has helped us see the job through safely, helping to ensure the project was delivered on time and within budget.

“We are looking forward to working with FWP long into the future as we grow and expand the business.”

FWP, which has offices in Preston, Manchester, and London, has a wealth of experience in the hospitality and tourism sector.

FWP is also the architect behind The Sands Venue Resort Hotel on Blackpool’s famous Golden Mile, which is currently under construction and is a member of the team looking to restore the former Victorian Park Hotel in Preston to its former glory.

Its designers are spearheading the ongoing upgrade of Lake District Hotels’ flagship properties in Cumbria - delivering contemporary bedrooms and public spaces through its interior design expertise.

  • For further Lancashire business news, advice and analysis subscribe to Lancashire Business View or join the LBV Hub from just £2.50 per month. Click here to subscribe now.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Lancashire Business View

Latest news

1

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway Alan McBride Muse Will Town Defence Infrastructure Organisation Jennifer Chard Defence Business Services Cllr Lynn Williams Blackpool Council Garry Bowker Vinci

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway

20 May 2025

2

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities Skiddle cheque presentation to Alder Hey Hospital

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities

20 May 2025

3

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion The site

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion

19 May 2025

4

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing Oliver Webber, Tracy Clavell-Bate and Tim Webber from Barnfield Group with Cllr Phil Riley, second from right, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing

19 May 2025

5

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025 Mark Long

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025

19 May 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May
Freelancer Meet-Up May.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May

society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar
LBV Hub Seminars
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar

Cottons Hotel & Spa , Knutsford, WA16 0SU

16:00 - 18:00

Liverpool Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-881365363-4862066883-1-original.20241023-085714.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
23 May 2025 - 23 May 2025

Liverpool Business Expo 2025

Aintree Racecourse , Liverpool , L9 5AS

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29
Artboard 15.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
29 May 2025 - 29 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin