What a wonderful year we’ve had at Signature Living!
Over the past 12 months, we’ve introduced new and exciting ventures in Liverpool and announced exciting plans for national development.
Thanks to the hard work of the entire Signature Living team we are pleased to have been recognised by awarding bodies for various achievements throughout 2017.
Looking back on the success of Signature Living this year we can embrace the start of a new year and look forward to what the next 12 months will bring.
Here are Signature Living’s best moments from 2017.
Signature Fit Club Launched
In January 2017 Signature Living launched a fresh new fitness concept in Liverpool by opening Signature Fit Club.
We welcomed some experienced personal trainers to introduce a variety of keep fit methods to Liverpool’s gym-going public including martial arts experts and bodybuilding champions.
Signature Fit Club now focuses on helping their members achieve their personal fitness goals using fun and efficient techniques.
Can we sign you up for 2018?
Welcomed Alma de Cuba into the Signature Living Family
At the end of January Signature Living were pleased to announce the acquisition of Liverpool’s most well established social venue.
Already famous among residents and visitors alike, Signature Living didn’t need to change a thing and have merely preserved and improved what Alma de Cuba already offered.
New menus, fabulous entertainment including our exclusive Voodoo show and exclusive events are now hosted inside this remarkable establishment.
Signature Living are proud to put their name to such a wonderful landmark Liverpool venue.
Two Signature Living Hotel’s Rated Trip Advisor User Favourites
Signature Living is built on the great experiences of our guests and their online reviews.
Our amazing hotels are only part of the formula that helps us achieve our goals and in February 2017 two Signature Living properties made the 5 top-rated accommodation choices in Merseyside.
Thanks to Trip Advisor user reviews all three of our Liverpool hotels consistently occupy the top 5 ranked hotels in Liverpool including The Shankly Hotel, 30 James Street and The Signature Living Hotel.
Combining exciting hotels with experienced staff are what make our guests experience so satisfying and we are pleased to be recognised in this way by the biggest online review site in the world.
The Grand Opening of The Exchange Hotel
Officially welcoming guests through the doors in May 2017 Exchange Hotel hosted a grand opening event showcasing the splendour of the newly renovated Cardiff hotel.
Visitors were invited to try Afternoon Tea and shown into the exquisite Grand Hall where live musical entertainment was provided.
After months of hard work, the neglected landmark building began bustling with life and Signature Living celebrated the opening of its first property outside Liverpool.
Added Landmark Belfast Locations to Signature Living Portfolio
In 2017 Signature Living expanded beyond the limits of Liverpool and into the national hospitality market.
First Cardiff with Exchange Hotel and then we announced our acquisition of two beautiful Belfast buildings set to become part of the Signature Living Heritage hotels.
Crumlin Road Courthouse and the Scottish Mutual Building are two historic pieces of architecture that have been neglected and forgotten over time.
Now part of the Signature Living family these two stunning buildings will be renovated and given new leases of life as luxury Belfast hotels.
After being given the Signature Living treatment Crumlin Road Courthouse will become the Lanyon Hotel and the Scottish Mutual building will become the George Best Hotel and are expected to be ready for guests early in 2018.
Plans Announced for George Best Themed Hotel in Belfast
We plan to incorporate George Best memorabilia and stories or recollections from both George’s outstanding career and his lifetime achievements into a luxury Belfast hotel.
Fans of the footballer can look forward to 2018 when The George Best Hotel is expecting to receive its first guests.
Signature Living Take Over the Ground Floor of the Cunard Building
Part of the iconic three graces, the Cunard Building is an important piece of Liverpool’s maritime heritage and the architectural waterfront skyline the city is famous for.
In early March we made the exciting announcement that a piece of this outstanding building will be owned and operated by Signature Living.
Opening the doors to the public in the form of a fine dining restaurant and an impressive weddings and events venue.
Ernst Van Zyl will be heading up the fascinating plans for the restaurant and our talented Signature Weddings team can add Cunard House to the list of stunning Signature wedding venues in Liverpool.
The potential for Cunard House is immeasurable and for Signature Living this has been one of the biggest highlights of 2017.
Hosted 136 Wonderful Weddings
Over the course of 2017, our amazing wedding co-ordinators and events staff made 136 happy couples’ dreams come true.
We hosted 136 weddings in three of our enchanting Liverpool events spaces and enjoyed every moment of it.
Our amazing Liverpool wedding venues provide the backdrop to truly magical wedding days and we can’t wait to expand our profile into Cunard House and Alma de Cuba.
Sponsors of British LGBT Awards
The Signature Living brand promotes vibrancy, culture and tolerance throughout the business and as a result Signature Living hotels and social venues are pioneer employees in support of Liverpool’s LGBT+ community.
In March Signature Living were announced as a leading sponsor of the British LGBT Awards 2017.
Working in partnership with so many UK employees to help diversify the workplace, the British LGBT Awards and Signature Living are proud to offer accommodation and job opportunities that do not discriminate.
Signature Living Founders Honoured on the Pride Power List 2017
Proud allies of the LGBT+ community Signature Living work hard to promote a positive working environment and provide an inclusive and diverse working atmosphere for all.
The driving force behind Signature Living’s support for the LGBT+ community in Liverpool are Lawrence Katie Kenwright.
“Lawrence and I are proud to be honoured in the 2017 Pride Power list as straight allies. We are proud that some of our most senior members of staff are part of the LGBT community and embrace the variety of individuals and characters that are part of the Signature Living workforce.
“We believe in tolerance and acceptance at Signature Living.” Katie Kenwright
Because of their efforts, the couple were honoured in the Guardian’s Pride Power List for 2017 and are now recognised as Allies on the Pride Power List alongside JK Rowling, John Bishop and Jeremy Corbyn.
Liverpool Food and Drinks Awards – Alma de Cuba Wins Liverpool’s Best Bar
It’s no secret that Liverpool is a city full of amazing independent businesses that thrive from the residents and visitors who use their services.
Liverpool’s food and drink scene is busting with exceptional talent so it’s only right that an awarding body would club together to help recognise their hard work.
At this year’s Liverpool Food and Drink awards Alma de Cuba was nominated for Best Social Media presence, Favourite Bar or Pub and Most Popular Signature Cocktail and scoped the award for Liverpool’s Favourite Bar.
Won Developer of the Year First Time Buyer Awards
By now Signature Living has a reputation for giving unused, classic buildings new leases of life.
30 James Street, The Shankly Hotel and The Exchange Hotel are fine examples of what Signature Living can do and further developments have been put in place for the future in Preston, Manchester and Belfast.
The award for Developer of the Year 2017 came in recognition of unused buildings in Liverpool, that were often regarded as eyesores, being renovated and transformed into luxury residential properties with Daniel House taking the top honour of the award.
Signature Living were praised for our “innovation” and the “affordability” of our newly renovated properties with many looking forward to future unique property developments.
Introduced Signature Works
In April 2017 Signature Living branched out into the shared office space market, providing flexible working space for all who needed it.
Signature Works is an innovative scheme that will help encourage business links in Liverpool and give start-up companies an affordable space to work.
The stylish city centre office space not only provides a productive co-working environment but also helps encourage creativity as working around others often does.
After a successful launch Signature Works is now a popular choice for co-working office space in Liverpool and is helping Liverpool’s businesses thrive.
BBC Documentary of Exchange Hotel development
When taking on the mammoth project of renovating and restoring one of Cardiff’s most historic landmarks, Signature Living expected a tough yet enjoyable challenge.
The idea was so interesting that the BBC came to document the Coal Exchange’s transformation into The Exchange Hotel.
This was a chance for the nation to see the effort the Signature Living developments team go to when respectfully restoring old and neglected buildings.
We see The Exchange Hotel take shape from the rot and ruin of the landmark building and grand trading hall.
During the documentary, it is clear to see the devotion Lawrence Kenwright has when it comes to preserving the memory of the landmark building.
Hosted Whitechapel Halloween Ball
After bringing one of Liverpool’s most iconic nightlife venues into the Signature Living family we decided to put it to good use.
Alma de Cuba is the ideal Liverpool nightclub from which to throw an epic Halloween Ball and what better cause to support than that of the Whitechapel Centre in Liverpool.
All proceeds from our marvellous Halloween event went to those in need and we had a great night full of freaky fancy dress and eerie exciting entertainment.
First White-Collar Boxing Event held in Cunard
Another of our latest property acquisitions in Liverpool, the lower floor of the Cunard Building became host to a sensation charity event in the form of White Collar Boxing.
We organised a fabulous black-tie event complete with an elegant three-course meal, live auction and entertainment and the evening was a screaming success.
A proportion of the proceeds from the event and sponsorships all went toward supporting Whitechapel Centre helping them complete the wonderful work they do around the city for those in need.
Lawrence Kenwright Wins Inspirational Role Model of the Year
The European Diversity Awards recognise individuals who champion inclusion and equality in their day to lives.
The Inspirational Role Model of the year award celebrates a person who actively promotes an inclusive workplace and helps their employees develop regardless of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.
Lawrence had the honour of accepting his award on his birthday at a ceremony hosted in London’s Natural History Museum.
“To win a European Diversity Award is a huge honour. At Signature Living, we understand the importance of equality and inclusion and the impact it has, both within the company and the communities in which we operate.
“We have got behind major diversity events because talent comes in all forms and embracing this fact will only help our company to thrive in the future.”
Provided Dream Accommodation for 259,297 Guests
We have made a name for ourselves across the UK for providing one of a kind hotel experiences for our guests.
We specialise in group accommodation that excites and amazes.
In 2017 Signature Living hotels and apartments welcomed a collective 259,297 guests through their doors.
It is from our guest experiences and reviews that we learn to grow and develop our business and it thanks to our guests that we have seen such a resounding success in 2017.
Here’s to the next 12 months and what they are promising to bring for Signature Living guests across the UK.
Opened Kingsway House to the Homeless of Liverpool
Throughout December 2017 Signature Living took initiative to help irradiate rough sleeping in Liverpool this Christmas and into the early part of 2018.
Using Kingsway House in Hatton Garden we designated some disused office space to offer rough sleepers a safe, warm and dry place to spend the night. Signature Living provided food, hot drinks and entertainment for those seeking refuge from the street of the city.
Our volunteers, suppliers and Signature Living employees gave up their time and donated goods to help those less fortunate during the coldest months of the year.
We had a target on Just Giving of £10,000 and were already halfway there just a few weeks into the initiative any excess funds will be passed onto the Whitechapel Centre
Liverpool’s homeless epidemic is only getting worse and we know that Liverpool has a big heart. Helping those in need all year round is essential but over Christmas, it’s the little things that make a difference.
Check out Signature Shelter to do more for those in need today.
Santa Hosted His Christmas Party in the Cunard
Giving the visitors and residents of Liverpool an amazing Christmas experience in 2017 we arranged for Santa himself to stay at the Cunard Building.
He brought his family of elves along for the ride and two of his very special magical reindeer.
Whilst he was there Santa decided to host a magical Christmas party and invited boys and girls to come along and have some festive fun with their grown-ups.
From the final weeks of November up until Christmas eve the Cunard Building opened its doors to everyone and children came along to meet Santa, dance with the elves and pet the reindeer at Liverpool’s best Christmas party ever.
As you can tell 2017 was an incredibly busy year for Signature Living and full of so many amazing memories. We’re looking forward to 2018 and continuing to provide our guests with a fantastic experience and taking the Signature brand across the rest of the UK and Europe.
