New venues opened include:
An old city pub, Hort’s, on Broad Street in the centre of Bristol has just reopened as Hort’s Townhouse following an eight-month-long refurbishment. The 18th century, Grade II-listed building now features 19 individually designed bedrooms located on the previously unused upper floors of the pub.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh officially opened last Friday (24th March) in Victoria Street. The hotel houses 222 Chambers and Grand Chamber suites with the Commons Club restaurant and Eve the all-day dining space plus the Greyfriars Hall housing a range of conference and events facilities.
Latest refurbishments include:
The Europa Hotel in Belfast, has completed a £10 million renovation programme of its guest bedrooms including 100 Superior bedrooms, 80 Classic bedrooms and five Suites.
On the other hand, London Hilton on Park Lane has just begun a multi-million-pound refurbishment programme - the first major refurbishment since the hotel opened in the 1960’s. It will include all bedrooms, a new lobby and a renovated ground floor restaurant. It is all due for completion by September.
New hotels and venues planned include:
Canadian-based Sandman Hotel Group is set to open its fourth UK hotel this spring – in Glasgow. Sandman Signature Glasgow Hotel will take over the Pegasus House building on West George Street in the city. It will have 179 bedrooms across ten floors plus a restaurant and bar, meeting and events facilities and a gym.
Marriott is to open a new hotel in Manchester city centre this May. Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester will have 155 bedrooms over 12 floors. The property, formerly The Northern Quarters Service Apartments Manchester, is located in Laystall Street and has undergone a total refurbishment. All rooms will include a kitchen, featuring a microwave, single oven, a two-ring hob, refrigerator and dishwasher.
Sircle Collection, a new boutique/lifestyle group, is planning to open its first hotel in London this autumn. Sircle London will open on Devonshire Square with 81 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, yoga studio and gym plus an outdoor botanical courtyard. We will monitor its progress.
Plans to create a brand-new state-of-the-art events centre - Marine Lake Events Centre - on the site of the former Southport Theatre in the resort are progressing. A fully flexible cultural space is planned which will host conferences and exhibitions, as well as cultural events and musical theatre. Building contractors have been lined up for this £73million project with final planning approval expected this spring.
Travelodge is currently searching for 300 hotel sites across the UK, as part of an ambitious expansion programme. The group is in contact with 220 local authorities across Britain proposing a joint development partnership.
Plans have been published to convert the Grade II-listed Murdoch Chambers and Pitman Building on Corporation Street in the centre of Birmingham into a four-star hotel. The building started life in the late 1800s as a vegetarian restaurant and hotel. Plans would see the existing Grade II-listed façade restored with a new 11-storey extension at the rear of the building. If all goes to plan work is anticipated to start mid-2023, with completion in 2025.
We finish this week’s roundup with two venues which have caught our attention especially in view of the ‘rumoured’ approach of springtime. They are two rooftop meeting spaces at the Southbank Centre in central London. St Paul’s Roof Pavilion spans the Royal Festival Hall and looks east over the Hayward Gallery as the River Thames flows under Waterloo Bridge towards St Paul's and the Shard. It has a. capacity for up to 150 delegates. Weston Roof Pavilion overlooks the London Eye and Houses of Parliament with capacity for up to 220 delegates. Both are interesting and unusual venues for a meeting, conference or team away-day.
