Whitbread has secured planning permission for a new Hub by Premier Inn property in London’s Square Mile.
The hotel will be housed within the former Snow Hill Police Station off Holborn Viaduct, with the building’s Grade II listed facade being retained.
Plans call for a new atrium to be built behind the facade, with the rest of the building remodelled to accommodate 219 rooms.
The hotel will also a feature “a curated cultural offering to celebrate the history of the site”, with a permanent exhibition “with narratives of the local and surrounding area such as St Sepulchre Church, the Old Bailey, the former Newgate Prison and the ghost of Cock Lane”.
Premier Inn launched the Hub brand in 2013, with the first property opening in Covent Garden the following year.
Features of the brand include “compact” rooms (about half the space of a standard Premier Inn room, although Bigger Rooms are also available), with technology including smart TVs, ensuite shower rooms, pull out desks and free wifi.
Snow Hill Hub by Premier Inn will be the third property under the brand in the City, joining existing hotels at Bank and Tower Hill.
For our Tried and Tested review of Hub by Premier Inn London City Bank (published in 2019), see:
Commenting on the news acquisitions manager for Central London at Whitbread, Jonathan Langdon, said:
“Farringdon is one of the most vibrant locations in London given its proximity to the City and many of London’s most historic and cultural landmarks.
“It’s a prime location for both business and leisure travellers and with the arrival of Crossrail, as well as the creative buzz around the Culture Mile initiative, the demand for hotel rooms in Farringdon is set to increase further.
“As a team, this is the culmination of 18 months of hard work in unprecedented times and we put our heart and soul into the plans to sensitively convert the former Snow Hill Police Station into a 219-bedroom hub by Premier Inn.
“With the City having backed the plans we will move quickly into detailed design and aim to be on-site converting the Listed building as soon as possible.”
