The first glimpse of Amir Khan’s luxury wedding venue features a chandelier hanging from a corrugated metal ceiling awaiting visitors.
Costing £11.5 million, the building in Bolton sits opposite a car wash and fly-tipping spot. It has previously been criticised as “tacky” and “looking like an office building”.
Named The Balmayna, images show a huge chandelier hanging from a corrugated metal ceiling near a smoke alarm and cables. A room also features Louis Vuitton and Chanel books stacked on a marble table.
The complex’s eye-catching front features glass walls that spread into a crown design at the top of the building. However, some residents have said the Dubai-inspired building looks like the Premier League trophy.
Work on the wedding venue has taken much longer than expected, with Amir Khan investing £5 million of his own money. The former boxer said the delays were the result of “unprofessional management”.
Now open for couples, The Balmayna promises a “royalty experience” and “a touch of magnificence and excellence in every celebration”. Inside, there are palm trees and a waterfall – complete with greenery and a floral design.
In another opulent room with red velvet sofas and an armchair, books about famed designers Chanel and Louis Vuitton as well as butterflies in a domed display case can be seen. There are also candles and leaflets about The Balmayna.
A spokesperson for the venue said: “Anticipation builds as we approach the grand reveal of The Balmayna’s exquisite charm.
“Join us for an exclusive preview of our booking office, an elegant space with picturesque views. Let us make your dream come true, get in touch to arrange a viewing.” In 2013, Khan spoke about his ambition to have “something like this” in Bolton.
But he said: “It was about getting the space and the area right. We want to make the town better, we want to get people talking about it and coming into Bolton to do their business work here.
“Hopefully people can follow in our footsteps and start building more and investing into Bolton. It is going to provide jobs and will be really good for the town.
“I’m putting the money back into Bolton and giving something to the community. A lot of people go out of town for meals, to Manchester or wherever but why, when we’ve got Bolton here and the town deserves 100% to have the best facilities.”
Despite being a main figure in the building’s creation, neither Amir Khan nor his wife Faryal Makhdoom are named as directors. Instead, it lists two officers – Mohammad Jaberansari, who is also a director at Excellency Midlands who teamed up with Khan over the venture, and the owner of events catering firm Plaza Event, Muhammad Hasseb.
