Advertisement

Grosvenor has selected Martin Property Group as its partner for the redevelopment of The Chester Grosvenor, one of the UK’s most iconic hotels. The family-owned group, known for its urban regeneration schemes across the UK and Ireland as well as for operating a portfolio of luxury hotels, will lead the works and take over operation of the property once the renovation is complete.

The agreement draws on Martin Property Group‘s deep knowledge of Chester, built through the revitalisation of the Eastgate Shopping Centre and the arrival of Harrods in the city. This local track record was a key factor in Grosvenor’s decision, as the company sought a partner able to combine heritage ambition with strong local roots.

Grosvenor, owned by the Duke of Westminster

The current duke of Westminster is Hugh Grosvenor, a British billionaire aristocrat born in 1991. He became the 7th Duke of Westminster in 2016, at the age of 25, following the sudden death of his father, Gerald Grosvenor, and is one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the UK.

Advertisement

💰 A vast fortune

One of the country’s largest landowners: his family owns the Grosvenor Group property empire, which holds more than 120 hectares in London’s most exclusive districts, notably Mayfair and Belgravia.

Global wealth: his fortune, estimated at close to £10 billion (more than €11 billion), also extends to assets in over 60 major cities worldwide and far exceeds that of the British royal family.

A closure ahead of a major renovation

The hotel will close its doors on 30 September, following Bespoke Hotels’ earlier decision to end its operation of the property. The closure paves the way for the first major renovation of the Grade II listed building in more than forty years.

Final plans are still being developed, but the project aims to combine heritage conservation with contemporary interior design, with the goal of delivering a five-star experience worthy of the building. Subject to planning permission, the works are expected to take around two years from the start of construction.

Advertisement

This wave of heritage-led renovation is not confined to Chester alone: in the same city, The Queen at Chester reopened after an extensive renovation to join Accor’s Handwritten Collection, confirming hotel groups’ renewed interest in the city’s historic properties.

Martin Property Group, an established player in Chester

Martin Property Group acquired the site of the former Grosvenor Shopping Centre — since renamed the Eastgate Shopping Centre — from Grosvenor in 2022, and has since invested heavily in its wider estate. The group notably led the conversion of the former Debenhams building to house Harrods, creating a major new retail destination in the heart of the city.

Nicholas Dobbs, head of Grosvenor‘s Family Office and of Grosvenor Rural Estates, which will retain the freehold of the hotel site, said Grosvenor was delighted to have chosen Martin Property Group to write the next chapter in the hotel’s history and, in time, to operate it. He said Grosvenor had deep roots in Chester and a long-term commitment to its success, and that it had been essential to choose a partner sharing the same values and vision, with the skills, independence and perspective needed to preserve the character that makes the hotel so distinctive. He added that the ambition was to reopen under the name The Chester Grosvenor, creating jobs, strengthening Chester’s tourism and hospitality economy, and generating lasting value for the city.

Paul G. Martin, managing director of Martin Property Group, said The Chester Grosvenor represents the next chapter in the company’s significant and growing investment in the city. He described the partnership as a reflection of Martin Property Group’s confidence in, and long-term commitment to, Chester, and said the company was mindful of the responsibility that comes with being the long-term custodian of a building of this importance. Working with Grosvenor, he said, the ambition was to create an exceptional five-star hotel that celebrates its remarkable heritage while establishing a contemporary destination of national and international standing.

Economic and tourism stakes for Chester

Beyond the renovation of a single historic building, the project forms part of a wider strategy to strengthen Chester’s appeal as a tourism and hospitality destination. Grosvenor points to job creation and the generation of lasting value for the city as objectives associated with the scheme.

The repositioning of The Chester Grosvenor adds to a series of recent heritage-led hospitality projects in the UK, such as Hyatt’s renovation of the Oxford Witney Hotel, the country’s first JdV by Hyatt, which reflects sustained interest from international groups in converting Britain’s heritage assets.

At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune

Grosvenor selects Martin Property Group to redevelop and operate The Chester Grosvenor
Martin Property Group, a family-owned UK and Ireland regeneration specialist, will lead the redevelopment and operate the hotel upon completion
The Grade II listed hotel closes 30 September 2026 after Bespoke Hotels ceased operating it
First major refurbishment of the property in more than 40 years, subject to planning approval
Works expected to take around two years once construction begins
Martin Property Group already redeveloped Chester’s Eastgate Shopping Centre and brought Harrods to the city in 2022
Grosvenor’s Family Office and Grosvenor Rural Estates retain the freehold of the hotel site