Birmingham has been in the news all week so let us start this weekly news roundup with two hotel/conference related stories from this fine city. Further details have been published of Birmingham's Grade II-listed Methodist Central Hall which has recently secured planning approval for conversion into a hotel: The new hotel will feature 150 bedrooms and suites, eight bars and restaurants, a gymnasium and events space. The design will preserve many of the building's original features, including the rejuvenation of its 1,500-seat events space. A new three-storey rooftop extension will see the creation of a rooftop restaurant with views across the Birmingham skyline. Completion expected early 2025.
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A masterplan has just been published seeking to develop Edgbaston Stadium, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club in Birmingham. The masterplan would see the creation of a renewed stadium which would combine elite sport, plus conferencing and events facilities. Plans also include a stadium-based multi-use community hub with the potential for facilities such as an NHS walk-in centre. We will monitor developments and report progress
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French-based, B&B Hotels, has published plans to extend its operations into the UK. The group is planning to open up to 100 UK hotels by 2035. B&B Hotels is the leading and fastest growing independent hotel chain in Europe with more than 600 hotels in 14 countries. B&B Hotels claim to offer: ‘warm, modern and affordable accommodation for both business and leisure clients, a combination of comfort, design and high-quality services at an attractive price: comfortable beds, high-speed wi-fi, gourmet buffet breakfast’.
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The latest addition to the Bespoke Hotel portfolio – the 5-star Sun Street Hotel is opening in London next month. Sun Street Hotel will have 41 bedrooms and suites, a 40-cover restaurant, plus an outdoor courtyard for dining and the Orangery, which are also open to non-residents for daytime coffees and pre-dinner drinks. Sun Street Hotel is located on the border of Shoreditch and the City of London and is a short walk from both Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations.
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St James Quarter is a 1.7m sq-ft lifestyle district in the heart of Edinburgh, which has just been officially opened by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. The St James Quarter will soon feature the new W Hotel Edinburgh plus a 75-bedroom Roomzzz aparthotel. The Quarter has been designed to integrate with Edinburgh’s transport network and its cultural and historic background. W Edinburgh is set to open winter 2023. It will be a 12-storey building with 214 bedrooms and suites including an Extreme Wow Suite. Other features include a signature restaurant, leisure and spa facilities plus 2,450 sq ft of events space.
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The redevelopment of the Grade II-listed George Hotel in Huddersfield is set to continue following completion of remedial works to make the building safe and watertight.Redevelopment of the 1850s Grade II-listed building, currently sheathed in a scaffolding wrap, has stopped but should recommence in the spring.George Hotel, famous for being the birthplace of rugby league, is expected to reopen in the summer of 2024 as a new member of Radisson Hotel Group.
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Plans have just been approved to build the new Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter alongside Ashton Gate Football Stadium in Bristol. The Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter will include a sports and convention centre, a 232-bedroom hotel plus125 apartments, offices, shops, a gym, a club museum and a multi-storey car park. Bristol City Council have approved the plans, but the project will need a final sign off from the government before work can begin.
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Schloss Roxburghe, country estate in the Scottish Borders, is going to join the Destination by Hyatt brand – the brand’s first outing in the UK. Currently a 22-bedroom property, the Schloss Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course is set to become a luxury retreat with an additional 58 rooms and suites planned as well as 12 cottages, two restaurants, three bars and two lounges. Development work is expected to be complete by late 2022. Further developments include a spa facility with two saunas and an outdoor infinity pool plus a purpose-built banqueting suite. Schloss Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course will be the second Hyatt-branded property in Scotland and is set to join the Hyatt Centric Edinburgh Haymarket with its planned opening in 2025.
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Finally, possibly the world’s most unusual hotel opens shortly in Ongar in Essex. Hotel Hyundai is the world's first car-powered hotel with all power supplied by an Hyundai Ioniq 5, through an adaptor. Hotel Hyundai features cabin accommodation, a restaurant, and a makeshift cinema, with all electricity harnessed through an adaptor from the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Hotel Hyundai is open for 14 nights, from October 19 to November 5.