George Best hotel building brought to market

The site of the planned George Best hotel in Belfast has been placed on the market by administrators, after approval was given by the courts.

Documents filed with Companies House in 2021 revealed that administrator Duff & Phelps had deemed it "not financially viable" to complete work on the 83-bedroom hotel, choosing instead to apply to the High Court to sell the property.

Colliers is now inviting bids for the Scottish Mutual Building. The Grade B1-listed building had been purchased by Signature Living in 2017 and work to convert the building, originally slated to open in 2020, started in 2019 and ceased later that year.

New services and a lift shaft were installed and upper floors were adapted to bedrooms, all planned to be themed around footballer George Best.

Administration documents have since revealed Signature Living owed unsecured creditors £12.2m and £4m to investors who ‘bought rooms' in the property.

Signature Living's Signature Shankly hotel in Liverpool, named after footballer Bill Shankly, was also put up for sale by administrators last year after it separately fell into administration.