It has been confirmed that the owners of Cornwall’s award winning Watergate Bay Hotel are to operate the new 60-bedroom boutique hotel which is to be developed at the historic Royal William Yard in Plymouth.
An agreement has been signed between the developer Urban Splash and Watergate Bay to create the hotel within the Melville building, centred around a distinctive clock tower and courtyard, overlooking the marina, at a cost of £18m.
The hotel – which will be known as the Royal William Yard hotel - is set to open in 2015 and will have two restaurants, a cocktail bar, members club, 25m swimming pool and an events space.
Will Ashworth, Watergate Bay Hotel managing director, said: “When we first arrived at Royal William Yard and saw the potential of the Melville building, I immediately knew we could create something really exciting.”
“We have a distinctive approach to hospitality and ‘active relaxation’ lies at the heart of what we do. Our north Cornwall hotel has its own special sense of style and tone, and our aim is to take this and develop it in a way that is right for Royal William Yard,” added Mr Ashworth.
The Watergate Bay hotel in Newquay has been transformed since Ashworth took over the running of the hotel from his parents, John and Mary, in 2004. It has undergone a £8m redevelopment and now incorporates two restaurants in the hotel as well as the Beach Hut eaterie, the Extreme Academy, Swim Club and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall.
Nathan Cornish of Urban Splash said the agreement with Watergate Bay is a significant milestone in the redevelopment of Royal William Yard. “It has long been our intention to bring a quality hotel operator to the Yard.
Built in the early 19th century and formerly used by the Royal Navy as a victualling depot, where food and drink were stored, the yard was closed in 1992 and has since been the subject of various development plans. It is now Grade-I-listed and part of a wider regeneration project for Portsmoth with the opening of cafes, bars, restaurants, art galleries, a museum and apartments.
Planning permission will now be sought to develop the Royal William Yard hotel.