Russell WBHO to begin The Mere transformation 

UAE-based Select Group has appointed the contractor to overhaul the existing 87-key Knutsford hotel and add another 29 rooms. 

Russell WBHO will begin work this month and The Mere will be closed until the summer of 2025 before reopening under the high-end Accor Fairmont brand. The golf course and spa facilities will remain open. 

The renovation project involves upgrading all 87 existing guest rooms and adding another 29 across the main building and a new build extension, bringing the total number of rooms to 116. 

A new entrance and reception will be created in the main building, and new kitchens added. The conference centre will be expanded with a two-storey extension and a new golf pavilion will be added to serve users of the 18-hole championship-level course. 

Architect Leach Rhodes Walker has led the scheme’s design. 

Rahail Aslam, founder and group chief executive for Select Group, said: “The new Fairmont Cheshire The Mere will be the North West’s most exclusive golf spa resort, offering guests unrivalled luxury right here in the heart of Cheshire.” 

The Mere will be the UK’s fourth Fairmont Hotel alongside The Savoy in London, St Andrews Golf Course, and Fairmont Windsor Park in Berkshire. It will also be home to a new Peruvian restaurant. 

Gareth Russell, Russell WBHO managing director, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been appointed on the new prestigious hotel project and we look forward to adding another high-end brand to our portfolio. 

“Thanks to the client’s approach to collaborative working, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Select Group and the architect from the early stages on this exciting conversion programme. Together we have appointed an exceptional team to ensure this project will deliver the facilities and quality of finish that guests expect of a Fairmont resort.”

Leach Rhodes Walker is leading on design. Credit: via ECPR