Queens Moat swap

UK hotel chain Queens Moat Houses will convert eight of its hotels to the Holiday Inn brand under an agreement with brewer and hotels group Bass.

Holiday Inn Worldwide is the hotels unit of Bass.

Queens Moat said it would also renew its franchise agreements with Holiday Inn Worldwide covering 19 Continental hotels on a 10-year basis.

The transaction ''is in accord with Queens Moat Houses' established practice of using franchises where appropriate, to enhance occupancy and revenues and thereby profitability and cash flows,'' the company said in a statement.

Mr Gerald Bell, joint managing director at Queens Moats Houses, said the hotels included in the agreement would ''benefit from the assistance that Holiday Inn Worldwide contributes in terms of brand strength and specific investment in marketing support''.