Famous Queens Hotel in Leeds records upsurge in booking revenue after £16m refurbishment

Bosses at the landmark hotel said clients are eager to get back to live events. Situated in City Square, in the heart of Leeds, The Queens Hotel officially reopened in June last year following a nine-month restoration and modernisation project.

A spokesman said the number of event booking enquiries the Queens converted in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 303 compared with 129 enquiries in the previous quarter.

A spokesman for the Queens said: "Live event and hospitality venues have been among the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic over the last two years. With the recent announcement of the end of Plan B restrictions for England, the relaxation of coronavirus measures is welcome news for hospitality businesses across the country.

"Signaling the start of a positive year for the industry, The Queens Hotel in Leeds has experienced a 49% increase in booking income compared to Q3 2021, with bookings ranging from small executive meetings to large-scale conferences, events and celebrations."

Paul Priest, Director of Business Development at The Queens Hotel, said: "The upsurge in booking revenues was a welcome boost for the hotel and for the city.

"The vast majority of our clients are eager to get back to live events, while a small proportion are interested in hybrid events that combine live and virtual. At the enquiry stage, they want to know how to make the most of the total event spaces, with social distancing measures, hybrid options and flexibility being key – rather than costs. That being said, our customers are keen for the industry to try and get back to normal, and now conversations are getting back to pre-Covid days and returning to live events with standard T&Cs.”

Bosses said the venue is now set to play a key role in the city and the sector's post-pandemic recovery.

Mr Priest added: "I'm hopeful the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 is now behind us. The past two years have been tough for everyone; tough for venues to manage cancellations and changes, and tough for clients and organisers. But, based on the levels of our enquiries and bookings, people want to get back to live events. The buzz at The Queens in the last six months of 2021, after lockdown restrictions were lifted, was amazing – and this year is looking to be even better."

The refurbishment of The Queens Hotel included the transformation of its ground floor into a host of communal areas, centred on a ‘social hub’

All 13 meeting rooms have been refreshed and upgraded, while the hotel is also home to the 500-capacity Queens Ballroom.

All the bedrooms been renovated, and an extra 17 have been added, bringing the room total to 232.

The Grade II-listed hotel was built in 1937 in the art deco style of the period. It was built as a railway hotel by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and still has private access to the station.

Famous guests have included Laurel and Hardy, who stayed twice during the height of their fame.