The group behind some of Manchester‘s worst hotels has reported record profits, despite its less-than-stellar reputation in the city and across the UK more generally.
Britannia Hotels, which is behind the infamous Northern Quarter hotel Sacha’s and the Britannia Hotel on Portland Street amongst others, suddenly appears to have become a popular place to stay – if its takings are anything to go by.
The company reported a loss of £9.5m in 2021, but in the following year revealed its pre-tax profits to be £33.3m.
The chain is also behind the Britannia Airport Hotel, as well as having further sites in Wigan, Stockport and Bolton, and has been consistently rated the worst in the UK for ten years consistently.
Its most recognisable city centre hotel Sacha’s has been referred to as the city’s very own Cecil Hotel, with reviewers on TripAdvisor regularly calling it the ‘worst hotel in Manchester’ and comparing its rooms to a ‘prison cell.’
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One reviewer, posting under the username Vincent B, confessed he couldn’t even make it through the night and checked out seven hours into his stay.
He wrote: “I did not even stay the night the hotel was that bad. It’s basically next door to 3 night clubs. Checked in at 16.00 and left at 23.15. Windows were so dirty and the bed was nowhere near sleepable. Will definitely not be going anywhere near me.”
Another person compared the rooms to a ‘prison cell’, writing: “The most vile place I’ve ever stayed. Location good and staff are nice but wow I can’t believe they can charge £225 a night for this hell hole.
“The rooms are like a prison cell. No proper windows and aircon doesn’t work. Have a tiny fan that doesn’t even make a difference. Huge window on the ceiling with no blind. Light from 4am so we were wide awake!! Told the reception staff whilst checking out and I honestly think they’ve heard it all before. Just said sorry for the inconvenience!! It’s grotty and it stinks.”
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A statement from the chain’s board said: “The result represents a return to performance levels comparable to pre-Covid-19 achieved during a period of difficult trading conditions which continues to limit opportunities for growth.
“Our priorities continue to be maintaining occupancy levels and to manage operating costs whilst ensuring that the business is well placed to exploit the opportunities of the future.”
“The directors remain confident that the company is in a good position to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. The hotels have managed to maintain their competitive edge through the economic downturn and continue to take steps designed to attract new business and improve market share going forward.
“The directors have carefully considered the availability of working capital and likely levels of trading over the next 12 months. They are confident that the business is well placed to meet the challenges including the current geopolitical uncertainty, cost of living crisis and the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Featured image – Wikipedia
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Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation to open in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation is set to open its doors in Manchester very soon.
Since it was first founded in Los Angeles all the way back in 2009, Reformation has gone on to become one of the largest sustainable womenswear brands on the planet, and is now known and loved for making beautiful, timeless apparel and accessories that aim to ‘inspire confidence’ across life stages and occasions.
Operating on a business model that pairs a smart approach to merchandising with a responsive supply chain, Reformation now operates more than 70 retail stores across the US, UK, Canada, and France.
At the heart of the Reformation story is a genuine commitment to ‘doing things differently’.
Since day one, sustainability has been woven into everything the brand makes – from the eco-certified fabrics and responsible factories, to its famously transparent sustainability reports.
Currently, Reformation has five UK stores to its name – but, it may come as no surprise to fans of the brand that they’re all in London.
That’s why the news of this new Manchester opening is such a big deal.
Set to be the label’s first UK store outside of the capital, Reformation has secured a prime spot on King Street in the heart of the city centre, and although there’s no confirmed opening date as of yet, if the shop windows saying ‘Summer 2026’ are anything to go by, we can only imagine it’ll be very soon.
“For Manchester, it’s a landmark moment, and for King Street, it’s the latest signal that this is one of the UK’s most exciting retail destinations,” a spokesperson for King Street said in a statement.
Stay tuned for details on opening dates to be announced in due course.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis
Emily Sergeant
A series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help combat the rising cost of living crisis are soon to be rolled out nationwide.
Kicking off with two measures today, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that he plans to ban retailers from making ‘misleading’ claims to customers about discounts.
The Government says shoppers have ‘increasingly complained’ about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing prices only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are, which goes on to create an uneven playing field for honest competitors.
The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to so-called ‘subscription traps’, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions, and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.
Set to come into force in January 2027 and saving people an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders. and a ‘much easier’ exit to contracts.
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis / Credit: gov.uk | Piotr Cichosz (via Unsplash)
A new 14-day cooling-off period will also be introduced to let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.
Certain charitable memberships, like the ones for cultural and heritage organisations for example, will be excluded from the new subscription rules due to the fact they have a unique role in preserving the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.
The Prime Minister says he is ‘determined’ to use every chance he gets to restore fairness and take pressure off people.
“I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps,” Andy Burnham said. “Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life, but I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.”
Georgina Pellant -
14th June 2023 
