John Lewis workers look forward to Bala breaks

Staff at John Lewis stores in Cheadle, the Trafford Centre and Liverpool will soon be able to enjoy subsidised holidays in Snowdonia after the company acquired the Bala Lake Hotel from a private investor for £3m.

The sale includes 70 acres of grounds which offer access to outdoor pursuits. The company, which employs 69,000 staff who also own the business and are known as partners, said plans for the site include a revamp of the golf course into a five-hole 'pitch and putt' course, the creation of nature trails, and using part of the forest behind the hotel for 'cyber tag'.

A major refurbishment of the 24-room hotel is ongoing and its doors will re-open in December.

Lawrence Chapman, general manager of residential clubs and leisure activities at JLP, said: "Partners will now benefit from a choice of five subsidised hotels located across the UK. Bala is a fantastic location offering both stunning views and a great range of outdoor activities. We hope it will prove particularly popular with partners seeking more active breaks and families with young teenagers. We're also delighted that the hotel will bring new job opportunities and a steady stream of visitors to the Bala Lake area throughout the year."

JLP will anchor Grosvenor's Liverpool One project, set to open on May 29, as well as the long-awaited Tithebarn scheme in Preston city centre, due to go in for planning in the autumn. The retailer is also seeking a site in Manchester city centre to complement its Trafford Centre store.

The business already owns four further holiday destinations at Ambleside in the Lake District, Brownsea Island, Cookham in Buckinghamshire, and Leckford in Hampshire.

Christie & Co acted for JLP. Knight Frank advised the vendor.