Tory mayoral candidate pledges to buy 'infamous' hotel from Britannia

A Conservative mayoral candidate has pledged to buy Scarborough’s Grand hotel and return it to its former glory if elected.

Keane Duncan is campaigning to be the first regional mayor of York and North Yorkshire ahead of the election in May.

He said he planned to buy the landmark Victorian property from its owner Britannia Hotels and restore it to ensure “the Grand is grand once again”.

Duncan said he would buy the hotel using “mayoral powers and funding” or a compulsory purchase order if necessary.

The hotel was opened in 1867 amid a boom in Victorian seaside tourism but the majority of its TripAdvisor reviews are negative and over 4,000 people have rated it ‘terrible’.

Duncan said the hotel had an “infamous reputation” that was “damaging the town’s prospects”.

“Once the largest and most luxurious hotel in Europe attracting guests including King Edward VIII and Winston Churchill, today it’s a bargain hotel run by the UK’s worst-rated chain, Britannia,” said Duncan.

“Towering high above the seafront, the Grand defines Scarborough. It’s rise, it’s struggles and soon, it’s renaissance.

“I’m pledging to buy the Grand. Using new mayoral powers and funding, I’ll wrestle the hotel from Britannia’s hands.”

Rival Liberal Democrat candidate Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who owns the Swinton Park hotel in Ripon, told the BBC: “As a hotelier myself, I can’t see any sense in this.

“Without doubt Scarborough needs investment, but this isn't the way to generate growth and create high-skilled jobs."

Britannia operates 64 UK hotels and the two remaining Pontins holiday parks.

The company was voted the UK's worst hotel chain by Which? for the 11th year in a row in 2023.

However, its pre-tax profits rose 18% to £39.4m in the year ended March 2023 while turnover jumped from £117.8m to £154.8m amid strong demand for its budget stays.

Britannia has been contacted for comment.

Image: clivewa/ Shutterstock