'£1m upgrade of our hotels has been spectacular' - Blackpool's The Elgin & Sheraton hotels see £1m investment

The family behind two well-known Blackpool hotels have unveiled a huge £1m makeover.

Brother and sister Nigel Seddon and Liz Brown have completed the work at North Shore’s The Elgin and Sheraton hotels on Queens Promenade as part of their pledge to reinvest into the businesses for their guests following a successful period of trading.

The Elgin has undergone a complete transformation of its bar, sun lounge and TV room areas while five bedrooms at The Sheraton have been given makeovers.

A key focus of the Elgin vision was to reposition the stage to the centre of the room, addressing customer feedback of a poor view from certain seats.

While, in the sun lounge areas, revised use of the space has cleverly increased the amount of seating available without resulting in overcrowding.

Liz Brown, an artist by trade, who got a First from Chelsea in Fine Art has been working with an experienced interior designer on the project.

She said: “It’s important to us that guests feel right at home when they stay with us – so it’s imperative that they remain at the heart of every decision that’s made.

“All of the bespoke furniture is chosen with comfort and quality as primary concerns - we’re simply not willing to compromise here. All in all, the refurbishments have been a huge success and I’m delighted to see how everything has come together.”

The family have been hoteliers on Blackpool’s North Shore for 57 years now, arriving in 1969.

Nigel and Liz’s parents Irene and John Seddon took over The Elgin, which was just half of the building. with the help of John’s mother, Dodo.

Nigel said: “My parents bought The Elgin hotel in 1969 which was just half of the building, I joined them in 1982, we took over the other half of the property in 2001. My sister joined us in 2015.

“When I first came in 1982, there were 55 bedrooms and only 2 bathrooms. People were literally queuing for a bath - it was 10p in the meter.

“It was completely different back then, but it was good fun.

“Over time, everything became more modern with en-suite bathrooms. We’ve gone from 55 basic rooms with wash basins in the rooms and a few extra toilets on the corridors to a 40-bedroom en-suite hotel. Then we bought next door, which gave us another 50 en-suite rooms.”

The family take great pride in reinvesting into the hotel each year to improve their guests’ experience.

Nigel said: “The transformation here at the Elgin has been nothing short of spectacular.

“We take great pride in reinvesting in the hotel each year and particularly enjoy the projects that result in a fantastic before and after for our guests, who really love to see the developments from one stay to the next.

“I have to say a huge thank you to my sister, Liz, who brought her signature flair and eye for detail to our new bar, reception and lounge areas. Together with Sacha Dunnett, our interior designer, they have worked incredibly hard to redesign these spaces to exude luxury – whilst maintaining comfort and functionality for our guests.

“The positive feedback from staff and guests alike really does speak for itself – and it certainly makes these large-scale, time-sensitive, stress-inducing projects all worth it in the end.

“As ever, we will do all that we can to keep raising standards in Blackpool and exceeding guests’ expectations by continuing to enhance our offering. We’re already excited to see what next year will bring.”

Meanwhile, the Sheraton bedrooms adopt three different designs, some of which are the work of Liz herself, inspired by her own artworks which also adorn the walls.

She said: “We stripped the bedrooms right back to their brickwork and changed absolutely every item within it, from the wiring and plumbing to the final decorative cushions and artefacts. What we result in is a lovely combination of bedrooms that feel like home, with extravagant decor, comfortable gel-topped beds and bespoke upholstered chairs and beautifully lit marble-look bathrooms.”

In 2015, the Hotel Sheraton was purchased; a milestone moment marking Liz’s long-anticipated official entry into the family business.

Liz and her team are now also celebrating recently winning their latest accolade - second place in The Lancashire Tourism Awards Best Large Hotel category.

Nigel said: “We made this investment because people’s expectations are getting higher and higher.

“They go to smart cafes in towns and city centres and they want something above average. If we don’t stay ahead of the game, we fall behind. The idea is to stay ahead of the competition and offer a better product so people come back.

“My sister is an artist by trade, she got a First from Chelsea in Fine Art and she works with a very experienced designer. Between them, they handle all the decor.“

After investing in the sound system and entertainment the family are enjoying themed evenings.

Nigel said: “We’re always putting on entertainment. We have cabaret every night, usually two acts and we might even go up to three.

“Themes are becoming more important - people really buy into them, like Elvis or Elton John tribute acts.

“For example, this weekend we’ve got a UB40 tribute and a Lionel Richie tribute, and next weekend is Motown. The key is getting the right quality acts - if you do, people are happy.”

For more information about The Elgin visit here and for The Sheraton visit here.