New premier inn boosts London’s hospitality scene

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Whitbread, a UK-based hospitality firm, in partnership with Lazari Investments, has secured permission to embark on the development of a new hub by Premier Inn hotel situated beneath The Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury, London. The commencement of this project is scheduled for later this year, following Whitbread’s commitment to a lease spanning a minimum of 25 years. The approval for the construction of a 207-bedroom hotel was granted by Camden Council’s Planning Committee on March 21, with the hotel set to occupy a previously underutilized double-storey car park beneath the Grade II listed Brunswick Centre, a property under Lazari Investments’ ownership since 2014.

The hotel aims to revolutionize the guest experience through the integration of advanced lighting technology designed to support the human circadian rhythm, encompassing bedrooms, reception areas, and communal spaces. This initiative, led by Whitbread’s hub by Premier Inn brand, stems from the company’s extensive research into circadian lighting. Visitors will enter the hotel through a unique ground floor entrance, leading down to an innovative underground hotel setting.

Jonathan Langdon, a senior acquisition manager at Whitbread, shared insights on the company’s longstanding tradition of converting former retail and office spaces into Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels, a practice spanning nearly two decades. By collaborating with Lazari Investments, Whitbread aims to utilize their collective experience and pioneering lighting technology to introduce a novel hotel concept in a prime Central London location. The transformation of underused spaces into successful budget hotels is seen as a significant advancement for the hub by Premier Inn brand.

The renovation will involve lowering a floor of the existing basement car park to meet ceiling height requirements, thereby minimizing the carbon footprint typically associated with new constructions. The project also plans to install photovoltaic panels on the Brunswick Centre’s roof to power the hotel, with additional electricity needs likely sourced from renewable energies.

Nicholas Lazari, co-founder of Lazari Investments, emphasized the project’s role in reimagining an underused car park to not only create valuable hotel space but also preserve the architectural essence and functionality of the Brunswick Centre. This development is expected to positively impact London’s tourism by generating employment opportunities, increasing local footfall, and promoting additional spending within the vicinity.

Whitbread’s recent acquisition of a site in Cork, Ireland, for a 168-bedroom Premier Inn hotel further illustrates the company’s ongoing expansion efforts, pending planning approval. This new project, set on the current Leisureplex entertainment complex in the Victorian Quarter, signifies Whitbread’s continuous growth and its potential to contribute significantly to the tourism sectors of both London and Cork.

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