Hotel Gotham, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle – Bespoke Hotels
Advising Bespoke Hotels on the creation of a landmark 87‑room luxury hotel across two Grade II listed buildings in Newcastle city centre
Name: Hotel Gotham, Newcastle
Client name: Bespoke Hotels
Project value: confidential
Location: Pilgrim Street, Newcastle
What was the brief?
Forsters was instructed to advise Bespoke Hotels on the pre let and development of Hotel Gotham, Newcastle, a major new luxury hotel forming part of the regeneration of Pilgrim Street.
The project involves the transformation of the Grade II listed Old Fire Station and Old Police Station into an 87 room five star hotel, complete with a restaurant, bar and private members’ club.
The hotel is being delivered by Motcomb Estates in two phases, with the first 57 rooms having opened in November 2025, followed by a further 30 rooms to be delivered a year later.
The scheme secures a long term flagship northern location for Bespoke Hotels and expands the Gotham brand into a prominent heritage setting.
Our role
We acted for Bespoke Hotels as tenant on all real estate, construction and planning aspects of the transaction, including negotiating a conditional agreement for lease and the long term lease of the completed hotel.
- Our Commercial Real Estate team (Ben Brayford, Grace Cassidy and Charlie Paddock) led on the Agreement for Lease and Lease negotiations and site due diligence.
- Our Construction team (Richard Spring and Alison Fletcher) advised on the construction elements of the Agreement for Lease as well as reviewing and advising on the suitability of the developer’s building contracts, appointments and warranties.
- Our Planning team advised on planning related conditionality and the approval of the s.106 agreement.
The Agreement for Lease was originally entered into in 2021 and subsequently varied to reflect the expanded scheme, incorporating the additional 30 rooms within the Old Police Station.
Outcome
Our advice ensured that Bespoke Hotels secured the long term operational rights and protections it needed, while enabling the delivery of a distinctive luxury hotel within two landmark listed buildings. The project will play a significant role in the ongoing transformation of Pilgrim Street and the wider Newcastle city centre.
