Warrington's Parr's Bank Hotel banks a top tourism award

Warrington has a new reason to be proud of its town centre. The Parr's Bank Hotel, a boutique hotel housed in a handsome Victorian bank building, was named Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year at the Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2026.

Judges described its rooms as immaculate and its food as excellent, and praised the exceptional standard of customer service, high marks for a hotel that has been open only since 2023.

The building itself carries a remarkable piece of local history. Parr's Bank was founded in Warrington in 1782 as Parr & Co, a partnership between sugar boiler Joseph Parr, his brother-in-law Matthew Lyon and solicitor Walter Kerfoot. It grew into a significant banking name before being acquired in 1918 by the London County and Westminster Bank, making it one of the forerunners of today's NatWest Group.

The Grade II listed premises date from 1877, but by the time husband-and-wife team Yaad and Pavan Johal acquired them in early 2020, the building had stood empty for eight years. The couple, who are passionate about the town and its heritage, set about restoring it, and the hotel opened its doors in 2023.

Today it combines boutique bedrooms with dining and events, and it has also established itself as a wedding venue, giving couples the chance to celebrate in one of the town's most characterful historic interiors.

The award is a welcome boost for Warrington's visitor offer and a fine example of an independent, family-owned business breathing new life into a much-loved landmark. For anyone who has walked past the old bank for years, it is well worth stepping inside, whether for an overnight stay, a celebratory meal or simply a closer look at a building that has been part of Warrington's story for almost 150 years.

The ceremony, held at Walton Hall and Gardens, saw winners chosen from a record number of entries across 19 categories, which makes the recognition all the more notable for a small, independently run hotel competing against some of the county's best-known names.

The Parr's Bank Hotel is in Warrington town centre. Book rooms, dining, weddings and events at theparrsbank.co.uk.