Plans have been revealed to bring one of Barrow-in-Furness's best-known historic buildings back into use as a hotel.
The Grade II-listed Majestic Hotel on Duke Street, which has been vacant for around two years, is the subject of a new application submitted to Westmorland and Furness Council by Ashall Projects Limited.
If the proposals go ahead, the building would return to hotel use as a Garner Hotel, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The plans include refurbishment of the interior, changes to the reception and bar, replacement windows, new signage and the installation of a new lift.
The application is still going through the planning process, so there is no confirmed reopening date at this stage.
What is planned for the Majestic Hotel?
The proposals are intended to repair and modernise the historic hotel while returning the building to active use. Franklin Ellis Architects, working on behalf of the applicant, says the Majestic last operated as an unbranded hotel before closing as its condition deteriorated and substantial repairs became necessary.
Plans reported as part of the application include:
- refurbishment of areas inside the hotel;
- a redesigned reception and lobby;
- a new bar area;
- installation of a new lift;
- replacement of 12 windows;
- new hotel signage; and
- longer-stay rooms with kitchenettes.
Ten dormer windows are proposed to be replaced on a like-for-like basis with sash windows. Some more recent internal finishes would also be removed as part of the refurbishment.
Plans for the ground floor show a more open arrival area, linking reception, check-in and lounge spaces with the proposed bar.
The Majestic would become a Garner Hotel
One of the most significant details in the plans is the proposed new identity for the building. The Majestic is intended to become a Garner Hotel under the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
Garner is IHG's midscale conversion brand, designed particularly for existing hotels being refurbished and brought into the group's network. The brand launched in 2023 and reached 100 open hotels around the world by March 2026.
Garner hotels are aimed at both leisure and business travellers, with the brand focusing on comfortable rooms, Wi-Fi, breakfast options and informal shared spaces. Individual facilities vary by property, so the exact services that would be available at the Barrow hotel have not yet been confirmed.
The proposals for Barrow also include a number of longer-stay rooms with kitchenettes, which could make the hotel useful for visitors spending more than a few nights in Furness as well as people travelling to the town for work.
Next to Barrow's Holiday Inn Express
The Majestic occupies a prominent town-centre position on Duke Street, close to Schneider Square and Barrow Town Hall.
It also stands close to the Holiday Inn Express Barrow-in-Furness, which opened in December 2019. Ashall Projects was involved in the development of that hotel on the former police station site.
According to the architects, the proposed Garner Hotel is intended to complement the neighbouring Holiday Inn Express rather than simply duplicate it, with the longer-stay rooms among the differences proposed for the Majestic.
The location places the hotel within walking distance of much of central Barrow, including the town's shops, restaurants, The Forum and the railway station.
A Grade II-listed Barrow landmark
The Majestic is more than a former hotel. It is one of Barrow's protected historic buildings.
The building dates from 1904 and was designed by architect J. Y. McIntosh for Henry Tyson. It is constructed principally from red brick with red sandstone detailing and a slate roof.
Its distinctive architecture has made it a familiar part of the town centre for more than 120 years. The building was first listed at Grade II in 1976 and is recorded on the National Heritage List for England as Hotel Majestic.
Its listed status means alterations have to take the historic character and significance of the building into account, making the proposed restoration and reuse particularly important to the future of the property.
Can you currently stay at the Majestic Hotel?
No. The Majestic Hotel is currently closed and should not be treated as bookable accommodation.
Older hotel websites and booking-related pages can still appear in search results under names including Hotel Majestic and OYO Hotel Majestic, but these relate to its previous operation.
The current proposals concern bringing the vacant building back into hotel use. Rooms for the proposed Garner Hotel are not currently on sale and an opening date has not been announced.
When will the Majestic Hotel reopen?
There is currently no confirmed reopening date.
The proposals require the relevant planning and listed-building processes before the refurbishment can proceed as proposed. Construction timescales and an opening schedule have not yet been announced publicly.
Visitors planning a future stay in Barrow should therefore wait for an official opening announcement and live booking availability rather than relying on historic Majestic Hotel listings.
What happens next?
The application will be considered through the council's planning process. Further details could emerge as the proposals progress, including the final room mix, refurbishment timetable and eventual opening date.
If approved and completed, the project would return a prominent Grade II-listed Duke Street building to its original hotel use while introducing the Garner brand to the centre of Barrow-in-Furness.
For more ideas while visiting the area, explore our Barrow-in-Furness visitor guide, including attractions, places to eat and other accommodation around Furness.
Majestic Hotel plans at a glance
- Building: Majestic Hotel, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness
- Status: currently closed and vacant
- Heritage: Grade II listed
- Built: 1904
- Proposed hotel brand: Garner, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Applicant: Ashall Projects Limited
- Architect: Franklin Ellis Architects
- Proposals include: interior refurbishment, new reception and bar layout, new lift, replacement windows, signage and longer-stay rooms with kitchenettes
- Planning status: application submitted
- Opening date: not yet announced
- Bookings: not currently available for the proposed Garner Hotel
Planning proposals and development timescales can change. This article will be updated when further confirmed information about the Majestic Hotel redevelopment and proposed opening becomes available.
No approved comments yet.