Former Manchester United and England footballer Gary Neville has pledged his two Manchester hotels to NHS staff and other medical professionals fighting the coronavirus crisis.
The two hotels will be closed to the public and will free up 176 beds. No hotel staff will be made redundant or have to take unpaid leave, and will operate the hotels as normal.
“It is at this moment the whole of our industry needs to show solidarity, not just for our staff in these uncertain times, but for the people who need accommodation most in the coming months,” said Neville in a video posted to Twitter on Wednesday (18 March).
The defender turned Sky Sports pundit co-owns the Stock Exchange hotel in Manchester and Hotel Football at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium with former teammate Ryan Giggs.
The hotels will be available to the NHS from Friday and will closed to the public from Sunday.