Spanish hotelier to transform Liverpool’s Coopers Building

Líbere Hospitality Group has signed a management agreement for the grade two-listed former department store, with plans in place to convert the property into a 148-bed aparthotel.

The aparthotel comes from plans submitted last summer by Seth Hotel to Liverpool City Council for the Church Street block. The project, drawn up by NC Architecture, would see the floors three to seven turned into short- and medium-stay accommodation.

LHG said its vision for the site would largely retain the building’s historic features, including its mosaic-tiled floors, glazed wall tiles, and coffered ceilings. The façade would be restored, a roof covering added, and some structure reinforcements put into place.

You can view the proposals by searching reference 25F/1951 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.

Dating to the 1910s, the 48,000 sq ft building was the home to Coopers & Co department store until its closure in 1972. Since then, it has provided a mix of ground-floor retail and upper floor offices.

Coopers Building is Líbere’s second foray into the UK, with the group having opened a location off Edgeware Road in London last spring.

John Harrington, business development director for the UK & Ireland at LHG, spoke about the draw of Liverpool, describing the city as a “dynamic destination known for its maritime, football, and musical culture”.

He added: “The city draws visitors from around the world with the iconic attractions, and ready-made entertainment where Líbere offers flexible, high-quality accommodation for both leisure and business travellers alike.”

While new to the UK, LHG is well known in its home country. Founded in 2019, the firm has more than 2,300 units in its portfolio. In addition to Spain, it operates accommodation in Portugal, Italy, France, and Greece.