The Methodist Church has approved a £1.2 million investment package to support new development work at a London hotel.
The Wesley Hotel in Euston and its sister hotel in Camden Town – which also has a chapel incorporated - are based on “ethical hospitality” and all profits go directly to the Methodist Church.
The Church says the investment into the Euston site will help secure the long-term sustainability and mission-driven impact of the Wesley hospitality enterprise.
The money will be used to implement a rolling programme of refurbishment over the next few years, including bedroom upgrades, improvements to communal areas and enhancements to the building’s external facade. The work will strengthen the hotel’s net zero aspirations as well as ensuring the property continues to generate strong financial returns for the Church’s wider mission.
James Barr, General Manager at The Wesley told Premier: “We do operate as commercial hotels, but the unusual thing about us is that we're owned by the Methodist Church. They’re our sole shareholder and owner and we trade profitably as a hotel and Gift Aid our profits to the church every year.
“So we reflect the values that are deeply rooted in the Methodist Church. So things like, for example, community, inclusiveness and diversity. Integrity is also a key value for us, as well as social justice.”
The Wesley Hotel Euston has 100 bedrooms as well as meeting spaces and a lot of the investment will be spent on the structure of the building which started out as a metal factory a century ago.
Rev Sonia Hicks, Chair of the Connexional Council, said: “The investment underlines the Methodist Church’s mission and the Wesley Hotels in Euston and Camden Town provide a distinctive model of ethical hospitality, generating profits that directly support the Church’s work.
“The improvements at Euston will complement the wider investment strategy for the Wesley portfolio, ensuring that both hotels remain competitive in London’s hospitality market while continuing to embody the Church’s values, including ethical employment practices and environmental responsibility.”
The investment comes from the MIC Trust – a connexional fund that receives the profits from MICL (Methodist International Centre Limited).