Talash Hotels Group acquires Mercure Wigan Oak

Warwickshire-based Talash Hotels Group has acquired the Mercure Wigan Oak for an undisclosed sum.

The 88-bedroom hotel was one of six Mercure hotels operated by Focus Hotels under a franchise agreement with AccorHotels and owned by Aviva Investors.

The portfolio was put up for sale for around £17m free of the management contract, but with the franchise agreement with AccorHotels in place.

The Mercure Wigan Oak has eight meeting rooms, a restaurant, bar, a civil wedding licence and is the second Talash acquisition to be backed by Allied Irish Bank (GB) (AIB), following the group's purchase of the Quorn Country hotel in Leicestershire last April.

Talash Hotels was formed in 2007 by brothers Sanjay and Ravi Kathuria, who have grown the group to 11 properties with the ambition to own 20 hotels by 2020.

Talash also owns the Grade I-listed Stoke Rochford Hall near Grantham, acquired from the National Union of Teachers earlier this year; the Allesley hotel in Coventry; the Honily Court hotel in Warwick; and the Risley Hall Hotel and Spa in Derby.

Sanjay Kathuria said: "Mercure Wigan Oak has huge untapped potential. Our plan is to build the business further by investing in the hotel, particularly its conference and banqueting facilities to capitalise on an increasing demand for business and private functions in the area."

Morgan Keating from AIB said: "Sanjay and Ravi are building a collection of hotels to which they bring not just their extensive experience to add value to the businesses they select, but also a philosophy of offering a genuine hospitality to their guests."

Six Mercure hotels go on market for around £17m >>

Grade I-listed Stoke Rochford Hall to undergo multi-million refurbishment >>

Grade I-listed Stoke Rochford Hall sold to Talash Hotels >>

Allesley Hotel in Coventry is sold to Talash >>

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