Liverpool Business News – Liverpool Cruise terminal hotel will still go ahead according to Liverpool Waters owner Peel who says it will push on with plans to build a new hotel at terminal.
The good news comes after a week of uncertainty following confirmation that Global Ports Holding (GPH) were to take over operation of the cruise terminal from Liverpool City Council, thus casting doubt on the future of the planned terminal hotel.
Global Ports Holding (GPH) is the world’s largest independent cruise port operator and the company signed a 50-year lease with Peel Ports subsidiary, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company to add the Liverpool Terminal to its portfolio.
Global Ports Holding Wont Build Liverpool Cruise Terminal Hotel
Although as part of the deal Global Ports Holding are to invest £25m into the terminal, building a new terminal building and a new pontoon to increase cruise ship capacity it was the previous operator (Liverpool City Council) that had drawn up plans for the new Liverpool Cruise terminal hotel , which put the build cost in the region of £90m.
Nevertheless, the new floating pontoon from GPH will increase the terminal’s capacity thus allowing for the simultaneous berthing of two 300-metre ships and up to 7,000 passengers a day.
Appetite for better custodian than Liverpool City Council
Since opening in 2008, the terminal has been run by Cruise Liverpool which is part of Liverpool City Council and whilst Liverpool has certainly benefited from the cruise terminal since 2008, Liverpool City Council has had a very poor record in being able to effectively manage and develop the private enterprises it had part or full ownership in.
Given the many failures of the city council in recent years, including the failure to deliver value for money services for its taxpayers many people in Liverpool did not have any further appetite for the city council to have a hand in the cruise terminal anymore and the worlds biggest cruise terminal operator certainly brings the experience and talent that Liverpool City Council were lacking.
Peel to Press on with Liverpool Cruise Terminal Hotel
On Monday 8th April Liverpool Waters owner Peel said it would press on with the hotel plan and that it would be seeking an operator to take it forward.
Although no further details were released on the hotel, that Liverpool City Council are now out of the picture and Global Ports Holding have committed to developing the cruise terminal, people familiar with the Liverpool Waters project are very confident that hotel will become a signature offering to make Liverpool a premium cruise terminal option.
Chris Capes, director of development for Liverpool Waters, said: “We welcome the acquisition of Liverpool Cruise Port by Global Ports Holding, it is great news for the city and for Liverpool Waters.“
He added, “The cruise tourism industry is very important to our city and this deal brings greater certainty of its future with a huge investment in infrastructure. Liverpool Waters now has greater certainty over the new cruise liner terminal, and we are actively looking at all of the fantastic development opportunities this presents at prime locations within the Princes Dock neighbourhood.”
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