Mayoral candidate pledges to buy Scarborough’s Grand Hotel as rivals question ‘financial viability’

Keane Duncan, the Conservative candidate for York and North Yorkshire’s new mayor, says that if elected he would buy Scarborough’s Grand Hotel using a compulsory purchase order if necessary.

When it opened in 1867 the Grade-II listed hotel was the largest in Europe but in recent years the Grand Hotel has received attention in the form of online reviews and videos documenting its poor condition.

Mr Duncan said that “the bargain hotel, run by the UK’s worst-rated chain, Britannia” has “an infamous reputation that is damaging the town’s prospects”.

However, his plans have been criticised by fellow candidates and have received a mixed response from members of the public.

Independent candidate Keith Tordoff said the plan would “never be delivered in real terms” while Liberal Democrat candidate Felicity Cunliffe-Lister said, “this isn’t the way to generate growth”.

Concerns have also been raised about the financial viability of purchasing the hotel which is not currently up for sale.

In a campaign video published this morning, Mr Duncan said that “the Grand defines Scarborough” and that he was “pledging to buy [it] using new mayoral powers and funding” to “wrestle the hotel from Britannia’s hands, negotiate a sale, and use compulsory purchase if required”.

He added that he wanted to “ensure the Grand is grand again” and “kick start the town’s regeneration in the process and return Scarborough to its glory days”

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said: “As a hotelier myself I can’t see any sense in this.

“Keane Duncan has just blown his annual budget in free car parking, and now he’s going to run a hotel?

“Without doubt Scarborough needs investment, but this isn’t the way to generate growth and create high-skilled jobs.

"With my tourism strategy, I will work with business, not against it.”

Speaking to the LDRS, independent candidate Keith Tordoff said: “I think it is typical Conservative promises before an election which will never be delivered in real terms.

“I think Mr Duncan has already spent the £18m budget that the mayor gets in the first year on the various projects he’s promised.

“The mayor should work with the owners to make sure that it actually raises the standards so that it attracts tourism for Scarborough, which the town needs.”

Speaking at a BBC hustings in York this morning, Labour candidate David Skaith mentioned the Grand Hotel proposal, stating: “We have a finite amount of money – we will get more money over time, we’ll bring more investment in with a Labour government – but we have to be sensible and make it go a long way.”

The proposals have also received a mixed reaction from locals and residents.

One local commented on an online post of the video: “Well said Keane – this area needs young, forward-thinking enthusiastic people to drive growth and investment.”

Another person commented: “Hopefully your plan for this is a very long way down the road, there is so much more to be done and this would be such a huge distraction.”

Britannia Hotels did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.