Foot Anstey’s Islamic Finance team advises Blacksand on purchase of the Signature London, J Marylebone Hotel

National law firm Foot Anstey's Islamic Finance team has advised Bahrain-based investment firm, Blacksand, on its acquisition of Signature London, The J Marylebone Hotel - a 4-star guest accommodation property in London's esteemed Marylebone district.

The deal is Blacksand's flagship property acquisition of the year, aligning with its wider business strategy to increase its portfolio of assets and solidify its presence in the UK real estate market.

Foot Anstey's extensive experience in the hotel and leisure sector was crucial to the successful completion of the transaction. The firm has previously advised on a number of high-profile real estate acquisitions in the sector, including advising Fragrance Group on its acquisition of a 72-bedroom seafront hotel in Weston-Super-Mare and advising on the corporate acquisition of a chain hotel located near Gatwick Airport

A multi-disciplinary team from Foot Anstey advised Blacksand. The team was led by Client Partner Imam Qazi and comprised Principal Director Karl Bradford and Associate David Jones from the Corporate team; Managing Associate Lingxi Wang and Senior Associate Aziz Deen from the Islamic Finance and Real Estate team; Legal Director Brian Hitchcock, Principal Director Simon Stubbs, and Associate Emily Woods from the Construction team; Partner Sam Elworthy from the Commercial team; and Partner Claire Holland and Principal Director Nathalie Ingles from the Employment team.

Lingxi Wang, Managing Associate at Foot Anstey, said: "This transaction highlights the resilience and strong recovery of the leisure and hotel sector following the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also underscores the continued attractiveness of high-quality assets in prime locations to investors. We're proud to have supported Blacksand in securing such a significant addition to its portfolio and look forward to seeing Blacksand's continued growth in the UK real estate market."

Ahmed Matar, Chief Investment Officer at Blacksand, said: "We're thrilled to add Signature London, The J Marylebone Hotel, to our growing portfolio of premium real estate assets. This acquisition is a testament to our commitment to investing in high-quality properties in key locations. We appreciate the expertise and dedicated support of Foot Anstey’s Islamic Finance team, whose guidance was instrumental in completing this flagship deal. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the team as we further expand our presence in the UK market."

Nestled in the heart of the vibrant Marylebone district of London, Signature London, J Marylebone Hotel has 93 designed rooms furnished in a contemporary luxury style with state-of-the-art amenities, including sensor lighting. Nearby attractions include The Sherlock Holmes Museum and Madame Tussauds.