Owners plan major revamp of historic site

CHESTER city centre’s historic Grosvenor Hotel will cease trading in September, it has been confirmed.

- BY GARY PORTER

Bespoke Hotels, which operates the Grade II-listed hotel located next to the iconic Eastgate Clock, made the shock announcement to staff last week.

It comes after unsafe concrete was discovered above the function suites of the building, which dates back to 1865.

In a statement, Bespoke Hotels said: “Following the recent discovery of RAAC above the function suites, the scale and complexity of the works required to put a long-term solution in place, alongside necessary refurbishment works, we have taken the very difficult decision to cease operating The Chester Grosvenor.

“As a result, it is our intention to close the hotel on September 30, 2026. Our immediate focus is on supporting our colleagues in the weeks ahead.

“We closed our conference suites after the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) during recent surveys.

“The safety of our guests and colleagues is of the utmost importance and the affected area will remain closed as a precaution.