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Fisher German’s Chester office has found a ‘pawfect’ solution for a client’s derelict farm building after securing a tenant on a 20-year lease who has converted the building into a new hotel. Not just any hotel, we might add! The Merseyside building has been transformed into a 25-bedroom dog hotel called The Pawfect Retreat, the vision of property developer and canine hydrotherapist Angela Byrne.

Recognising a gap in the market for a high-end dog hotel, the retreat features eight day boarding rooms for up to 48 dogs, in addition to the overnight accommodation, a 24m² indoor training facility, six paddocks with exercise facilities, and a hi-tech hydrotherapy pool which holds 20,000 litres of water. Angela hopes to attract customers who, like herself, would like to leave their dogs somewhere a bit nicer than a kennel when they are away from home. She explained: "I have three dogs and nowhere was going to give me the environment I would want for them while I’m away – a home environment. I did not want to put my dogs into a sterile concrete environment, and I found a lot of other people felt the same. I realised there was a gap in the market, so I looked and looked for properties that fitted the bill.”

The Pawfect Retreat is located on the Crosby Hall Estate, whose owners, the Blundells, were keen to add to the diversity of its business enterprises.There was a flood of interest when Fisher German advertised the site, allowing for the owners to seek further details and business plans from prospective tenants before making their decision.

Richard Baker, Partner at Fisher German’s Chester office, said: “Moor Farm needed significant investment and in view of its location, I recommended that it be advertised on the open market as a long term letting as it offered potential for a wide variety of uses. The Estate was inundated with offers; however, the successful tender from Angela was highly innovative and provided the opportunity for a long term letting which is sustainable and provides employment for the area.”

A 20-year lease was granted, with the potential for another 20-year period to be granted if the tenancy is a good fit. Angela will also get first chance to buy if the Estate wishes to sell in the future. The training centre was opened in January, with the main part of the hotel and daycare centre following shortly after. The hydrotherapy pool is due to open this summer, but Angela has already been blown away by the amount of bookings she has received. She added: “I never thought it would be this busy – we’ve been taking bookings every single day. It’s a massive compliment to be honest. The Pawfect Retreat was years in the making, and my partner and I have put £1 million of our own money into this, so we’re so pleased the hotel has fully opened to the public.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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