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Hotel plans lodged for the Guild Tower by Simon Rigby

Posted on - 30th September, 2016 - 7:00am | Author - | Posted in - Business, Preston City Centre, Preston News, Redevelopment
The Villa Urban would be the name of the new hotel, in what is now the Guild Tower

The Villa Urban would be the name of the new hotel, in what is now the Guild Tower

Preston’s tallest office building is to become a hotel – as Simon Rigby looks set to realise his ambition of creating somewhere to stay attached to the Guild Hall.

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The 15-storey Guild Tower will be rebranded as the Villa Urban and include a casino, spa and gym alongside 105 rooms.

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Plans have been lodged by the Guild Hall group to convert the offices into an aparthotel.

Mr Rigby, whose original plans for the venue included building a hotel on the land opposite, says the city is ripe for a new hotel.

Read more: How Rigby has always had eyes on a hotel at the Guild Hall

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A design for how the Guild Hotel, viewed on Lord Street, would look at night

Previous designs for how the Guild Hotel, viewed on Lord Street, would look at night

He said: “We believe we are going to deliver quality without pomposity.

“Preston is the most under-bedded city in the country, we are bringing very good-grade accommodation and also securing a whole new market for the Guild Hall. It’s an entertainment venue at the moment, but this brings us into conference facilities as well because we’ll have on-site accommodation.

“If we have a conference for an organisation, people could stay over.

“If we’ve got snooker events, the players could stay there and be on site. We see this as a major enhancement.”

HMRC staff are currently located within the office block, and Mr Rigby told the Lancashire Evening Post no agreement had been reached by the revenue regarding their future.

Architects Frank Whittle Partnership have submitted the plans after proposals for the Guild Hall’s alternative entrance and a new ‘Printworks’ style development were approved.

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Read more: What Simon Rigby has planned in Printworks-style revamp

Seb Salisbury, architect with FWP, said: “The plans we have submitted for the Guild Tower are part of an ambitious and visionary regeneration scheme to transform this part of Preston city centre.

“We’re already seeing that take shape in the way it is breathing new life into the Guild Hall. These are exciting times for Preston and we believe the plan we have developed for ‘Villa Urban’ adds to that growing feeling that positive things are happening in the city centre.

“We have put together plans for a stylish mixed-use development with a modern aparthotel that will attract visitors into the city centre, along with a casino and spa and gym facilities that are also designed to complement Guild Hall complex’s role as a 21st-century leisure destination.”

What do you think of the hotel plan? Do you work in the Guild Tower? Let us know in the comments below

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