NELSON AND WEST COAST HOTELS LIMITED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 September 1936, Page 4

NELSON AND WEST COAST HOTELS LIMITED

CHAIN OF MODERN HOTELS The prospectus of the Nelson and West Coast Hotels, Limited Company has now been filed at Nelson. The object of the company is the establishment of a chain of first class modern hotels in Nelson and the West Coast, and to this end the company proposes to purchase the Commercial Hotel, Nelson, and Keller’s Hotel, Hokitika, and to acquire a controlling interest in Hotel Buller, Westport. Hotel Buller which was erected and opened only in March last has already established a reputation as a first class hotel, and its success has been such that the provision of additional accommodation is already under consideration. The Commercial and Keller’s Hotels. are well known leading houses requiring substantially increased accommodation to cope with the business offering. It is proposed to add to, renovate and re-construct these hotels on modern lines.

The proposals for the Commercial entail the demolition of the wooden portion of the building on the corner of Trafalgar and Hardy streets and its replacement by a three storied reinforced concrete block. A new bedroom block will be added and dining room, lounge and other accommodation will be increased. Hot and cold water facilities will be provided in every bedroom. The completed building will be an imposing three storied structure with frontages of 54ft and 140 ft to Trafalgar and Hardy streets respectively. Keller’s Hotel, Hokitika will be re-constructed on similar first class modern lines. . j,;.,

Ample evidence is available that Nelson and the West/Coast are substantial losers of internal and overseas tourist business through the lack of sufficient suitable accommodation. The three towns covered by the proposals of Nelson and West , Coast Hotels Limited are the vital links in perhaps the finest tourist route in the Dominion, and the chain of hotels proposed under one control should be of the greatest value and convenience both to the company and to the travelling public. Satisfactory arrangements for leasing the Commercial Hotel have already been made by the Company; Hotel Buller is already satisfactorily leased; and the directors believe that Keller’s Hotel can be, leased at an equally satisfactory rental. The Provisional Directors of the company are Messrs H. R. Duncan, J. Newman and Dr S. A. Gibbs, Nelson; Mr H. D. Hamilton, Westport; and Mr H. C. Newman, Hokitika.

The capital of the company is £43,000. divided into 43,000 shares of £1 each, of which 33,000 are offered for public subscription.