The Royal Clifton Hotel, on The Promenade, in Southport, U.K., was sold by Tim Timmerman to D’Urberville Hotels Limited. The hotel was valued at $6.2 million, and was operated by the same owner for over 30 years.
Timmerman took over the 120-bed Royal Clifton Hotel in 1983, and set about refurbishing it with a health and leisure club, before joining the Best Western Group in 1987.
Timmerman, originally a baker, first came to Southport from Holland when he was 19 and took over Long’s cafe on Lord Street in February 1971, changing its name to the Dutch Chef. In 1977 he then took over Mellors bakers, before buying The Great Western.
He is also chairman of Mellors catering services, a contract catering firm run by his son, Mark which is run from Lancashire Manor, Pimbo, which it acquired in 2010