Massive Devon hotel going ahead despite company going bust

Plans are due to be submitted this summer

Despite the liquidation of a firm linked with the project, ambitious plans for a new 150-room Hilton hotel on Plymouth Hoe are forging ahead. The development is poised to rise from the site of the former Quality Hotel, which has been demolished, with Propiteer Hotels Plymouth Ltd's chief affirming his commitment to the venture and revealing that plans are set to be submitted this summer.

The news follows the holding company Never What if Group Ltd entering liquidation, leaving creditors facing losses of approximately £9.837m. Until recently, Never What if Group Ltd, under the ownership of David Marshall, was the parent entity of Propiteer Ltd, which in turn holds sway over Propiteer Hotels Ltd, the company behind Propiteer Hotels Plymouth Ltd.

However, as of April, control of Propiteer Ltd shifted away from Never What if Group Ltd to PC Group Nominees Ltd, with Mr Marshall retaining a board position. Speaking to PlymouthLive, Mr Marshall assured that the liquidation of Never What if Group Ltd would not affect the hotel project, which is expected to carry the Hilton Garden Inn brand.

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He stated: "Propiteer is unaffected by the liquidation and there is no impact on the Hoe project. We still are hoping to have the plans completed and submitted over the summer."

Never What if Group Ltd, a conglomerate with subsidiaries in food production, online sales, residential property and the management of Hilton and Marriott hotels, was part of a group of over 60 companies. This included the company that developed the £13.9m Hampton by Hilton hotel at Exeter Airport, reports Plymouth Live.

In March 2022, it was announced by Plymouth City Council that Propiteer had been selected to construct a hotel and three blocks of flats on the site where the previous hotel was demolished in 2016.

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Earlier this year, Mr Marshall, a director of several companies within the Propiteer family, spoke to PlymouthLive about the project. He described it as complex and emphasised that everything needed to be perfect, but assured that plans were still progressing.

He stressed the importance of thorough consideration to ensure maximum benefit for Plymouth and stated that his firm was working closely with Plymouth City Council on the planning application to meet high standards.

In October 2023, Peterborough's Hilton Garden Hotel development ran into hitches when Propiteer, the company overseeing the £26-million-pound project, went bust. It came after Peterborough City Council had financially backed the hotel with a £15m loan and was in process of sourcing additional funding.

Despite the debacle, Mr Marshall assured PlymouthLive that the muddle in Peterborough wouldn't spill over to Plymouth. He stated explicitly to PlymouthLive in October - "it has no bearing on Plymouth which we are completely committed to delivering".

Fast forward to November 2023, software corporation Capturehub Ltd, under the management Never What If Group Ltd and with Mr Marshall as a director, crumbled into liquidation. Account records from Companies House unveil that Never What If Group Ltd was floating on debt owing £816,346 to Capturehub, and a whopping £6.7-million-pound to Hubfind Ltd, another one of its subsidiaries.

Barclays Bank, owed £714,582, and HM Revenue and Customs, demanding over £1m, also feature on Never What If Group Ltd's list of creditors. A final reckoning of Never What If Group Ltd's accounts laid creditor debts at an alarming sum of £10.462 million pounds.

The Hoe site, once home to the much-loved Quality hotel, has stood desolate for eight years running since its demolition. Plans were underway for a grand redevelopment scheme later that year with Henley Real Estate Development Ltd selected by the council to front the project the vision: an elegant apartment block graced by a hotel.

In 2017, plans were greenlit for an 11-storey hotel with a capacity of 80 beds, and a tall 15-storey block encompassing 88 apartments. With the scheme intended to be completed in time for the Mayflower 400 celebrations in 2020, even the proposed "five-star" hotel was set to be named '1620' in honour of the event.

However, the development failed to get off the ground, as disclosed by the council's cabinet member for finance at the time, Mark Lowry, who revealed in 2020 that the company spearheading the project was unable to secure the necessary financing. Subsequently, in 2021, globally-renowned real estate advisor, Colliers International, was enlisted by the council to advertise the plot of land.

Fast forward to March 2022, it was publicly declared that Propiteer Hotels would be joining forces with global hospitality giant, Hilton, to construct a Hilton Garden Inn boasting 150 guest rooms and a skybar. This eye-catching feature promises guests sweeping, panoramic views of The Sound.