Updates on the potential sales of four Signature Living hotels have been issued by the administrators overseeing the process.
Kroll Advisory is working with property agents to dispose of The Dixie Dean Hotel in Liverpool, Rainhill Hall near Prescot, Shankly Hotel in Preston and Liverpool's Shankly Hotel after the companies behind them went into administration in August 2022.
The Dixie Dean Hotel, Rainhill Hall and the Shankly Hotel in Liverpool are still open and have been throughout the process.
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BusinessLive later reported that over £56m was owed by the companies before they collapsed.
Each business operated separately from one another, but were all part of the wider Signature Living family of companies. Signature Living Group itself went into administration in April 2020.
Below, BusinessLive has rounded up the very latest updates about each company.
The Dixie Dean Hotel - potential buyers express interest
Kroll Advisory has said the agents marking the The Dixie Dean Hotel in Liverpool called for initial expressions of interest during December 2022.
A number of parties expressed an interest while the agents are currently liaising with them and trying to arrange viewings and inspections of the property.
The administrators said it is anticipated that initial bids for the business and assets of the company will be called this month (March).
Signature Eden Limited is the company behind the hotel which has 100 bedrooms, can accommodate 160 diners and employs 44 members of staff.
Documents filed with Companies House by Kroll last year showed the business owed more than £15.5m to its creditors when it entered administration in August. It was formally put up for sale in November.
Rainhill Hall - preferred bidder has been identified
According to the newly-filed documents by Kroll Advisory, a preferred bidder has been identified for a potential sale of Rainhill Hall after six parties submitted offers.
The administrators said the status was given to the highest offer that was received.
However the firm added that "no further details can be provided at this time in order to not prejudice ongoing negotiations".
It also said: "Negotiations are ongoing as the joint administrators are continuing to liaise with the interested parties, the agents and the secured creditors to pursue a sale of the business and assets as soon as possible."
Rainhill Hall is a grade II-listed country house that was completed in 1824. It was a retreat house run by the Society of Jesus and known as Loyola Hall for almost 90 years to 2014 and has operated as a hotel and wedding venue since 2017.
Under its previous name as Loyola Hall, the venue briefly hosted the North Korea football team during the 1966 World Cup. Before that it had been home to Princess Evelyn Blücher.
Loyola Hall Limited entered administration in August owing its creditors more than £10.4m.
Shankly Hotel in Preston - work ongoing as sale considered
Signature Living Preston Limited was the company behind the Shankly Hotel in Preston, which has yet to open.
The company was behind a £15m development of the hotel which is housed in a 118-year old former Post Office building in Market Street that was bought from Preston City Council in 2018.
When finished, the grade II-listed building is set to include a 65-room hotel with bar, restaurant and wedding and events suite. The opening of the hotel has been delayed by several years.
Signature Living Preston Limited entered administration in August and owed more than £22m to its creditors.
Kroll Advisory has said it is continuing to assess the viability of completing the hotel and starting to trade prior to putting it up for sale or whether to bring it to market unfinished.
The firm added: "There are a number of outstanding critical matters which includes building control sign off and the fire strategy which continue to hinger progress with the development.
"The secured creditor has indirectly funded the company by meeting certain costs of the contractor to maintain and complete some works on the property.
"The contractor has not yet provided invoices to the company for the works undertaken.
"In any case, the joint administrators have engaged the agents to commence the marketing and realisation strategy to identify a purchaser for the business and assets of the company."
Signature Living Lifestyles - gym leasehold being marketed
Signature Living Lifestyles holds the leasehold interest to a gym in Liverpool's Shankly Hotel.
The company owed more than £8.2m to its creditors when it entered administration.
The gym, which was operated by Liverpool City Council, was closed as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown measures. Kroll said it understands the council made a decision not to re-open it, following a post-Covid review of the service by the authority.
Kroll Advisory's newly-filed document with Companies House states that the leasehold in the gym is being marketed as part of the sale of the hotel.
The new report comes after another company that operated The Shankly Hotel itself was ordered into liquidation last year.
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