Bespoke appoints managing director for Hotel Gotham

Ward, who has worked as a consultant for the hotel since leaving his role as general manager of Wimbledon's Cannizaro House in November, will oversee its opening in April as general manager and managing director. 

Bespoke has spent over a year developing the Art Deco building on King Street in Manchester into a five-star hotel, which Bespoke has dubbed 'the sexiest hotel in Europe'. 

The 60-bedroom property, designed by Edward Lutyens and formerly home to Midland Bank, will include five 'inner-sanctum' suites, a restaurant called Honey and a rooftop bar and club called Brass with views across the city. 

Ward, who began his career as a trainee at the Park Hilton in Munich before working at Bristol Hilton International and The Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg before joining Cannizaro House, said he was aiming to 'quickly re-establish the site to a position of sovereignty within the city.'  

"I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead such an exciting project”, he said. “I aim to utilise all my local knowledge, enthusiasm and attention to detail to ensure the King of King Street regains its crown not just in Manchester, but nationally as well.”

Ward will now start recruiting staff to join him at the hotel.