UK-based hospitality company Whitbread, in collaboration with Lazari Investments, has obtained planning consent for a new hub by Premier Inn hotel beneath The Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury, London, UK.
This project is set to commence later this year, with Whitbread signing a lease for a minimum of 25 years.
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On 21 March, Camden Council’s Planning Committee approved the development of a 207-bedroom hotel, which will occupy an underused double-storey car park below the Grade II listed Brunswick Centre.
Owned by Lazari Investments since 2014, the car park will be transformed into a Premier Inn hotel.
The hotel will feature new lighting technology to support the human circadian rhythm, enhancing the guest experience in all bedrooms, reception, and communal areas.
Whitbread’s hub by Premier Inn brand will pioneer this development, which builds upon its research into circadian lighting.
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By GlobalDataGuests will access the hotel through a dedicated entrance on the ground floor, descending into the distinctive underground setting.
Whitbread senior acquisition manager Jonathan Langdon said: “Whitbread has been transforming former retail and office buildings into successful Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels for close to twenty years. Working closely with Lazari Investments, we have applied this experience and new exciting lighting technology to create a new type of hotel in a superb Central London location.
“The subterranean hotel pushes the hub by Premier Inn brand forward once again and opens a world of opportunity for us in looking at the possibilities of converting unused, underutilised, and hidden spaces into successful budget hotels.”
The project entails lowering one floor of the existing basement car park to achieve the required ceiling heights, significantly reducing the embodied carbon associated with new construction.
Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the Brunswick Centre’s roof to power the hotel. Any additional electricity needed will likely come from renewable sources.
Lazari Investments co-founder Nicholas Lazari said: “By reimagining an under-utilised car park, we are not only creating a valuable hotel space but are maintaining the architectural integrity and functionality of the Brunswick Centre.
“The hotel marks a new chapter in our commitment to the important heritage building, enhancing its contribution to London by boosting employment, stimulating local footfall, and encouraging additional spending in the local area.”
Last month, Whitbread acquired a site in Cork, Ireland, with plans to develop a 168-bedroom Premier Inn hotel, subject to planning approval. The site is currently occupied by the Leisureplex entertainment complex in the Victorian Quarter.
