Thistle Hotels has announced today the sale of the Charles Dickens hotel in London to Ryan Hotels Plc, the Irish based hotel operator, for £21.5 million. The consideration will be paid in cash upon completion, expected in late August 1999.

The decision to sell the 188-bedroom Charles Dickens was taken after a review concluded that the hotel was not considered core to the Thistle strategy.

Commenting on the disposal, Ian Burke, chief executive, Thistle Hotels said, The sale of the Charles Dickens is another step in our three-year plan to focus and develop a portfolio of Thistle branded four-star hotels offering a full service and consistent standards in prime locations to meet customer needs.

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