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With Signature Living this week announcing its plans to turn the historic Croxteth Hall into a premier hotel and others set to put their own new visions forward - the ECHO took an exclusive look behind the scenes to find out what it is that developers could get their hands on.

Signature Living is the first company to have publicly revealed its intention to take over the running of the Grade II* listed building - with some typically quirky ideas including ‘glamping’ and ‘Hansel and Gretel Treehouse’ rooms.

Boss Lawrence Kenwright wants to create a hotel and wedding venue that will be a “beacon” for the local community - with a third of the profits heading to the people of Croxteth.

With the procurement process now underway and more bids expected soon, we were invited on a tour of the famous building - including the various areas where the public are currently not allowed to go.

Based within the beauty of Croxteth Park, the hall was originally built as a country house in about 1575 and has been continually expanded in different styles including Tudor, Georgian and Queen Anne.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

The hall is the former home of the Molyneux family, also known as the Earls of Sefton.

It was bequeathed to the people of Liverpool when the last Earl died in 1972 - with the city council asked to act as custodians for a building of huge cultural and historic significance.

Like many local authorities, Liverpool Council is strapped for cash after seven years of austerity and is having to look at every possible way of saving money.

As things stand, the authority is losing more than £1m every year as it tries to manage and maintain Croxteth Hall.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

It was announced at the start of the year that the council was looking for a private company to take over the running of the hall - with the explicit request that the heritage and public access of the hall is maintained.

And walking around the magnificent building you can see why such a stipulation has been made.

(Image: Liverpool Echo) (Image: Liverpool Echo)

In the public areas of the hall, beautiful wood panelling and lush red carpets give the hall a real sense of grandeur and the many paintings and portraits of the Molyneux family immediately transport you back in time.

We were fortunate enough to be invited behind the scenes to the areas of the hall that most people cannot go.

Moving around the winding back corridors and staircases, you can understand why the likes of Lawrence Kenwright believe there is a huge opportunity in Croxteth Hall - the place is vast.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

In total there are more than 200 rooms, with many of these out of use at the moment and in need of some major renovation work.

We were shown into the perfectly preserved maids quarters and the historic kitchens, which have regularly been used for television period dramas in the past.

An example of how restoration can work in Croxteth Hall is found in the Queen Anne wing - which was badly damaged by a fire in 1952.

The wing was largely out of bounds for six decades before a painstaking refurbishment project allowed it to re-open in 2013.

The wing now plays regular host to weddings and conferences - an offer that can surely only be enhanced if the right developer and the right investment comes along to take over one of Liverpool’s most important historic buildings.

(Image: Liverpool Echo) (Image: Liverpool Echo)

Liverpool Council: “We are not selling Croxteth Hall”

Cllr Peter Mitchell is the council’s Mayoral Lead for parks and is also a Croxteth Councillor, he has been at pains to state that whoever takes over the running of the Grade II * listed building will not own it and will have to respect its historical significance.

He said: “I want to make it absolutely clear, we are not selling off Croxteth Hall, this building will always belong to the people of Liverpool - what we are looking for are partners who are willing to work with us on potential expansion and drawing down income from other sources.

(Image: Liverpool Echo) (Image: Liverpool Echo)

“There is never going to be a scenario where someone can go bust and we, the people of the city don’t own it.

“As part of the procurement, public access to the building is sacrosanct - there cannot be an agreement without that.

“The idea of turning this into a country house and hotel, absolutely not.”

He added: “This place is part of our DNA and we will not sacrifice it for some opportunistic money people - this is about how we can enhance, protect and make better what we currently have.”