A new Premier Inn property, designed by Rick Mather Architects and Allison Pike Partnership to respond to its prominent location, is now welcoming guests to the city centre.

The 90-key scheme, which is situated within moments of the Westgate Oxford shopping centre, brings the chain’s latest-format rooms to the heart of Oxford for the first time.

Enhancing the area

This contemporary Oxford hotel has opened its doors following the 2013 acquisition of a 1980s office building by the owner of the Premier Inn chain, Whitbread. A major redevelopment programme also allowed for the improvement and enhancement of the public space adjacent to the hotel, Paradise Square.

In total, Premier Inn Oxford City Centre (Westgate) has created 27 jobs.

Richard Aldread, head of construction in the UK regions and Ireland for Whitbread, said: “We spotted the opportunity to bring Premier Inn’s affordable bedrooms into the heart of Oxford city centre around the time the plans to redevelop the Westgate Shopping Centre were being discussed.

“With the help of a talented team of designers and development professionals, and the support of city council officers, we have built a superb new hotel in a challenging setting. It’s a proud moment to see the hotel open and I have no doubt that it will be extremely popular with our business and leisure guests and play a positive role in supporting the city’s economy.”

Contributing to the city

Oxford City Council granted planning permission in December 2017 and construction commenced in July 2019, with Carter Lauren as the principal contractor. Rick Mather Architects and Allison Pike Partnership designed the hotel to reflect its unique location.

“The new hotel makes a really positive contribution to the wider city centre setting by preserving and enhancing views of adjacent listed buildings, and creating new and positive connections with new visual and physical routes around the site,” said Simon Pryce, director of Allison Pike Partnership. “The high quality of materials used coupled with excellent workmanship from our contractor has resulted in a building the whole team can really be proud of.”

Premier Inn Oxford City Centre (Westgate) signifies the opening of the chain’s 1000th enhanced Premier Plus room. Whitbread plans to create another 1,000 Premier Plus rooms across its portfolio over the next six months.

The Oxford City Council Core Strategy has recognised the need for up to 15 new hotels in the city by 2026. Premier Inn Oxford City Centre (Westgate) is the brand’s second hotel to open in the city this year, bringing the total size of its portfolio here to four.

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