The Grapes Hotel returns to Oldham
Barlow will convert the building into a boutique hotel with 11 bedrooms upstairs and a bistro pub below that has a beer garden at the rear.
The hotel will be aimed at ‘high-end’ guests and business travellers, and is undergoing restoration works before a full redecoration.
“We don’t want the Grapes to be just another bar or pub, we want it to be the kind of place that people can hold business lunches in or where solicitors can meet their clients, for example," explained Barlow.
“Once we open the rooms upstairs they will be available for business people or even actors from the Coliseum to stay in."
Barlow intends to keep as many original features of the old building as possible during the revamp, including the original tile work and stained glass windows on the top floor, which will be removed and used as partitions in the bistro pub downstairs.
Local college students will be invited to work with the team on the hotel's interior design, to create links between the business and the community.
Investing in Oldham
The Grapes Hotel is part of a series of developments planned for the Independent Quarter of Oldham and the local council hopes it will help boost the town’s business and leisure market.
“Our plans for the pub tie in with the council’s ethos for the Independent Quarter," said Barlow. "We want to offer something different that can link with other businesses in the area."
The leader of Oldham Council councillor Jim McMahon said: "The fact that people like Guy are choosing to invest in Oldham is great news for the Independent Quarter and the town centre in general. It’s highly encouraging and shows the level of confidence the business community has in our plans.
"We already have a series of major regeneration projects underway that will enhance our entertainment, cultural and leisure offer and we believe the town centre can become the strongest in the area."
