BESPOKE Hotels have signed a five-year management agreement to reopen 40 of the former Specialist Leisure Group hotels, including The Savoy Hotel.

However, The Majestic Hotel on the East Cliff, that was part of Shearings, will not be saved as part of the agreement and is on the market with Savills, with offers in region of £1.7m.

The group only had a long lease for the Majestic hotel in Bournemouth, and agents have now been appointed to market the property.

Bespoke's chief executive Thomas Greenall said: "This news is particularly welcome in these trying times for our industry.

"This new arrangement ensures that we can create jobs at a challenging time for employees in the sector."

Having been closed since March, Bespoke Hotels will gradually start to reopen the properties over the coming months.

Specialist Leisure Group, parent company of the 117-year-old Shearings coach holiday brand and operator of 44 hotels in the UK, including The Savoy and The Majestic in Bournemouth, fell into administration after failing to secure a rescue deal.

The jobs of 2,460 employees were made redundant.

The group was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic as all tours, trips and events were cancelled and the hotels closed to the public, leading to a significant cash shortfall.