A partnership between two complementary players
La Sala, one of Marbella’s best-known hospitality and lifestyle brands, will open La Sala Sheffield this autumn — its first UK address — in partnership with British operator 1912 Hotels. The venue will sit within voco Sheffield by IHG, in the heart of the city centre, overlooking the Peace Gardens and the Winter Garden.
For both groups, Sheffield is only the first chapter of a much bigger ambition. Sala Group and 1912 Hotels are working together to develop distinctive, destination-led hospitality concepts across a hotel portfolio set to expand further.
The partnership brings together Sala Group’s experience creating high-energy dining, bar and entertainment destinations with 1912 Hotels’ hotel management and development platform. Both partners share a common belief: hotel dining can move beyond being a mere ancillary service to become a destination in its own right, with its own identity and its own following.
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Wayne Elliott, managing director of Sala Group, welcomed the partnership. He said the company was delighted to be joining forces with 1912 Hotels and to be opening La Sala Sheffield this autumn, adding that Sheffield represented the first chapter of what the two partners see as a far bigger opportunity across the UK. Together, he said, they would bring the social dining experience, energy and hospitality that have made La Sala a benchmark in Marbella into selected hotels across the country.
He added that this was not simply about placing a restaurant inside a hotel. Their shared ambition, he explained, is to create genuine destinations — places where local residents want to eat, drink, meet and enjoy themselves alongside hotel guests.
La Sala Sheffield: a concept built as a destination
La Sala Sheffield will carry through the philosophy developed in Marbella while deliberately positioning itself as a destination in its own right within a hotel setting. The venue will accompany the key moments of the day, from business lunches and meetings to after-work drinks, dinners, cocktails and lively evenings.
A programme of live music and DJs, initially running Thursday to Sunday, will sit at the heart of the concept, with the ambition of bringing the energy associated with La Sala Marbella to Sheffield.
The opening forms part of 1912 Hotels’ strategy of placing destination food, drink and entertainment at the heart of its properties, with the aim of drawing a significant local clientele alongside hotel residents.
Katharina Hohn, director of 1912 Hotels, set out what the collaboration aims to achieve. She said the partnership with Sala Group is about rethinking what hotel dining can be, with hotels housing venues that have their own identity, their own energy and their own following — destinations that local residents actively choose to visit, just as hotel guests can enjoy them. She added that La Sala Sheffield is the first opportunity to bring this shared vision to life through their UK hotel partnership, and that both partners are very excited about what they can build together.
An identity forged by its ties to British sport
While La Sala remains firmly rooted in Marbella, the brand has long maintained particularly close ties with the UK and British football. Over the years, the venue has become a favourite of some of the biggest names in sport, having welcomed Formula 1 legend David Coulthard, footballers Erling Haaland, Ruud Gullit and Wayne Rooney, as well as Crucible snooker icon Dennis Taylor.
This sporting connection runs well beyond who walks through the door. Former Premier League and international players David Bentley, Michael Brown, Paul Robinson and Stephen Carr are shareholders in the group, alongside current professional players Bobby Clark, of Derby County, and Alex Scott, of AFC Bournemouth, placing football at the heart of La Sala’s story.
For Sheffield, this dimension adds an extra draw. Michael Brown remains hugely popular among Sheffield United fans, while La Sala’s close ties to players, managers and football personalities leave the door open as to who might walk in.
Sala Group’s Marbella venues have long attracted an international clientele, with La Sala Puerto Banús in particular having built a reputation combining dining, live music, entertainment and a social atmosphere.
An ambition that goes beyond Sheffield
The Sheffield opening forms part of a broader strategic collaboration between 1912 Hotels and Sala Group, with the two companies working jointly to identify further opportunities to bring Sala Group’s hospitality brands and concepts into hotels across the UK and Europe.
Further details on menus, entertainment programming, launch events and the official opening date for La Sala Sheffield will be announced in the coming weeks.
👀 At a Glance
La Sala x 1912 Hotels: first UK hospitality partnership
Marbella lifestyle brand La Sala partners with UK operator 1912 Hotels for its debut UK location
La Sala Sheffield opens autumn 2026 at voco Sheffield by IHG, overlooking the Peace Gardens
Concept combines dining, cocktails, live music and DJs, initially Thursday to Sunday
Sheffield marks the first step in a wider pipeline of UK and European hotel collaborations
Sala Group counts current and former professional footballers among its shareholders, including Michael Brown, David Bentley and Alex Scott
