The decades old site in Kirkby is playing a key role within the community
The decades old site in Kirkby is playing a key role within the community
Danny Gutmann
00:01, 05 Mar 2026
Three years ago, land outside the Suites Hotel in Kirkby was the scene of a violent far-right protest. The protest was “fuelled by online misinformation”, a council report later found. The initial gathering outside the hotel in February 2023 was described by police as a peaceful protest, but quickly descended into “violent disorder” in which a police van was torched and fireworks, rocks, glass bottles and a concrete slab were thrown at officers.
But today, the decades old site is playing a key role within the community. While it has gained national attention in recent years, the Suites Hotel has long since been a prominent landmark within Kirkby having originally opened as The Cherry Tree before being known as The Clock Tower and latterly, The Suites.
However, after a period of closure following the protest that resulted in a number of arrests and subsequent jail sentences, the hotel is now operated by Compass Hospitality and according to its new management is determined to have a positive impact on the local community.
Best Western Premier Suites Hotel & Spa Liverpool-Knowsley’s general manager, Andrew Price, told the ECHO: “For me, one of the things that I was keen to do is to make sure that everybody knew that the hotel wants to be part of the local community and the local area.”
He added: “I’ve had experiences with other hotel groups that I’ve worked for and seen the positive impact that things like that can have—whether it be simple things like local litter picking in the area, or partnering with a charity for certain open days, or running workshops for local schools. If you’ve got the opportunity and the time and some resources, then we should absolutely be doing it.”
With that in mind, the hotel recently took their first steps into trying to build ties within the community after agreeing to sponsor their local football team, FC Kirkby.
Andrew said: “We looked at local ways to get the hotel out and about into the community. From a social responsibility aspect, there’s lots of ways that a business like this can assist, and we’ve been exploring different avenues. The partnership with FC Kirkby came about through a networking meeting that our business development manager attended, and he came back with a contact name and some details and he put it to me and we thought ‘you know what, that’s a great idea’.”
Aside from the fact that it will help build community harmony, Andrew said that he also had his own personal reasons for wanting the partnership to come off. He added: “It’s certainly something that’s close to my heart. I’ve got a 12-year-old daughter, and I coach their team on a Saturday, and I just thought ‘that’s a great way to try and help out a local football team and build some ties’ and see especially with young girls’ football, there isn’t really much out there in terms of help and support.”
Alongside the newly announced sponsorship of FC Kirkby, he said that the hotel has had more positive feedback since it reopened. He said: “A lady spoke to me and showed me a picture of her dad standing in front of the doors when it was called the Cherry Tree. That’s a guest that came into the hotel, who just wanted to talk about the history of the place. I absolutely see the hotel as having a vital role to play in the community.”
Meanwhile, Marc Kilroy, who runs FC Kirkby’s under nines girls and boys teams, said that the sponsorship of the two teams will have a huge impact not only on the club, but also the parents.
He said: “All we ever want to do is have the opportunity to provide as many opportunities as possible for kids and keep it as cost-effective as possible. That’s where we have a massive appreciation for Suites Hotel, because there’s now going to be, in them two teams, 19 kids who’ll have a kit to wear for the next couple of years without any parent having to put their hand in their pockets.”
Marc, who also acts as the club’s development and safeguarding officer, said that he is enormously grateful for how the hotel has acted since it agreed to come on board and sponsor the team. He added: “That connection with them [the hotel] might also help show that they’re willing to give back and willing to show that they’re not hiding from anyone and they want to be very much involved in Kirkby once again.”
