Chris Thompson named general manager of Hotel Gotham Newcastle

Chris Thompson, the former operations manager of the Apartment Group, has been appointed general manager of Hotel Gotham Newcastle ahead of its autumn opening.

He previously worked at Malmaison and Hotel du Vin before moving to Apartment Group, which operates hotels, wedding venues and bars across the North East, including Newton Hall in Northumberland and Whitworth in Durham.

Bespoke Hotels is to expand its portfolio of Gotham hotels with launches in Newcastle this year and Bristol in early 2025.

The Newcastle property will come nine years after the original Hotel Gotham opened in an Art Deco building in Manchester in 2015.

The Newcastle hotel is situated inside a former fire station and police station, with the fire station side due to open first with 60 bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, and DJ booth.

The police station side will launch in late 2025 with 30 bedrooms and events spaces in the historic Court Rooms, which can hold up to 120 guests.

Thompson said: “There is already a buzz in the city regarding the opening, so I can’t wait to welcome guests to stay in the quirkiest but most luxurious surroundings in the North East.

“I’ve watched the project for some time now with excitement and anticipation. It’s an iconic building in Newcastle in an area with so much redevelopment.

"Gotham is more than a hotel, it’s an experience where every detail is designed to exceed your expectations. There is nothing like it in the city. The potential is enormous, so when the opportunity arose I had to be a part of it.”