Another major hotel brand snaps up a UK golf resort

There has been a spate of major hotel brands buying UK golf resorts in the last few weeks – possibly fuelled by an increase in tourists visiting some parts of the UK in the last two years due to the weakness of the pound.

Warner Leisure Hotels has now acquired the Heythrop Park Resort, on the edge of the Cotswolds.This becomes the fifth property the company owns that offers golf, now a third of its portfolio.

Heythrop Park features the championship Bainbridge Course and in 2015 the Oxfordshire venue built a nine-hole footgolf course.

Simon Thompson, managing director of Warner Leisure Hotels says: “The proposition for Warner Leisure Hotels is unique and we want to offer our guests even more choices of places to stay in the UK for break without the kids. The expansion of our hotel portfolio ensures we remain a front runner in that mark, keeping the brand relevant to both loyal and new guests by offering variety and flexibility.”

Heythrop Park Resort

In the last few weeks hotel operator Arora Hotels purchased The Buckinghamshire GC – its first golf club – and hotel brand Hilton has taken on its first golf resort in Scotland – The Westerwood.

This summer, hotel management company, RBH, announced it is willing to partner with golf clubs in a bid to offer more packages to pay-and-play visitors.

And recently property investment firm Safeland acquired North Downs Golf Club in Surrey.

Its managing director, Larry Lipman, said the UK market “appears to us to be constrained by an economic outlook, which in turn is affected by political conditions at home, in the EU and worldwide.

“I believe that this has created a cautious environment, verging on stagnation which may continue for some time.

“North Downs is a very well located leisure asset with significant potential to upgrade and improve upon the current infrastructure.

“We look forward to working with the North Downs management team to develop the club’s potential.”