Birch Selsdon hotel put on the market by administrators

The south London estate which includes the Birch Selsdon hotel has been put up for sale, less than two months after its closure.

Savills has been appointed to market the 198-acre Selsdon Park Estate in South Croydon on behalf of administrators Moorfields Advisory Ltd.

The 181-room Birch Selsdon launched in Croydon last spring under managing director Ayo Akinsete, with two restaurants overseen by chef Lee Westcott.

However, the hotel closed and fell into administration just six months later, with Moorfields blaming “cash constraints”.

A total of £15.3m had been invested into the property over two years and it boasted facilities including three bars, six meeting and events rooms, a coworking space, gym, outdoor lido, and tennis court.

The site previously operated as the De Vere Selsdon Estate before it was taken over in 2022 as part of a joint venture between Birch Hospitality and real estate investment firm Aprirose.

The two companies also opened the Birch Cheshunt hotel in Hertfordshire on a 55-acre estate in 2020, but it closed and fell into administration the same week as its sister Selsdon site last November.

Savills has been appointed to advise on the disposal of the long leasehold interest in Birch Selsdon and part freehold interest in the estate, with no guide price.

Phoenix Chow, associate director, Hotel Capital Markets at Savills, said: “The Selsdon Park Estate offers a unique opportunity to acquire a prominent former lifestyle hotel. The hotel has undergone substantial improvements over the last two years and there remains several value-enhancing initiatives in place to improve top-line performance and Net Operating Income (NOI).

“We anticipate strong interest from the market for this opportunity, appealing to a diverse range of capital sources and accommodating various business plans and asset preferences.”

Savills put Theobalds Park Estate, home to the Birch Cheshunt hotel, on the market in December.