Leicester’s latest and one its most high-profile developments, The Gresham Aparthotel, has opened its doors to guests.
Situated on the corner of Market Street and Belvoir Street, The Gresham is an iconic structure built in the 1880s, that is well known throughout the Leicester area.
The £17 million, two-year project, by developer Aimrok Holdings, received a £4m Growing Places Fund loan from the LLEP to kickstart the project.
The Grade II-listed Victorian building has transformed from a department store (formerly occupied by retailer, Fenwick) into a high-end, 121-room aparthotel, containing stylish serviced apartments with kitchen and en-suite facilities; an exclusive fitness suite; and laundry room for guests.
Central to the aparthotel is ‘Black Iron Social’ – a contemporary restaurant and bar that will serve aparthotel guests as well as being open to the public – that is under the same management as Leicester’s popular Winstanley House Hotel and the City Rooms.
Completing the extensive development are four spacious commercial retail units and ‘Gresham Works’ – 12,000 square feet of conference facilities and state-of-the-art co-working spaces, that have been leased to Leicester City Council on a 25-year agreement.
Mark Copson, director of Aimrok Holdings and The Gresham, said,
“After such a challenging couple of years thwarted by the pandemic, we are very excited to be welcoming our first guests. The Gresham is a stunning building and has been restored with a great deal of care and attention to detail both inside and out, and we feel confident that our visitors will be delighted with their stay experiences.
“With its prime position in the heart of the City Centre, The Gresham already seems to be having a positive impact on the area and we intend for it to become, and remain an active part of the local community for many years to come.”
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said:
“Having had the chance to look around The Gresham, I can confirm this is very exciting news. The very stylish aparthotel will be another major draw for visitors to our city, and people wishing to work here will find the new workspace very appealing, and just right for the post-covid economy.
“The restoration of this flagship building perfectly complements the other regeneration work taking place in this part of the city, and will provide a massive boost for the Market Street area and for Leicester.”
Kevin Harris, Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors at the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), said:
“The LLEP provided a Growing Places Fund loan of £4 million to support the redevelopment of the former Fenwick’s department store. The loan helped to kick-start this important project, that will have a significant impact on employment and provide much needed managed workspace for businesses.
“I am delighted to see the completion of The Gresham redevelopment and also that this iconic building has such a promising future.”
The Gresham, which has been part-funded by an £8.2million loan from Maslow Capital and a £4 million Growing Places Fund (GPF) loan through the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) has been hailed a catalyst for regeneration in the local vicinity. Since the redevelopment began, many new shops, bars and restaurants have started to open in Market Street and beyond.
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