Hotels in the pipeline for city as three plans put forward

ANOTHER hotel is in the pipeline for Leicester city centre – this time on top of the Haymarket Shopping Centre.

The owners of the building want to convert longdisused offices on the third floor of the 1960s retail complex, overlooking Humberstone Gate, into a 67-bedroom hotel.

Plans have been submitted to Leicester City Council to revamp the offices, last used by First Leisure more than a decade ago.

A big name hotel chain, which already has a presence in the city, has been lined up to run it, but the details have not yet been publicly divulged.

It is intended to fully strip out the old offices and replace all the windows, roofing and lifts in a major overhaul that will see the front of the building, facing Marks and Spencer’s, improved.

Owners Haymarket Property Ltd said it could not comment at the moment.

It is the latest in a series of proposed new hotels in Leicester.

Leicester Tigers have planned a £22 million, 165-room hotel on the old Granby Halls site, next to the club’s Welford Road stadium.

A £50 million, 250-room hotel complex is also proposed near the old Great Central Railway station opposite the Highcross shopping centre.

The project will see a 150-room Novotel created alongside a 100-room “aparthotel” for Adagio. Together, they will create about 60 jobs.

City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “We have been in discussion with the (Haymarket scheme) applicants for some time.

“It reflects an increasing amount of confidence in the city that another wellknown hotel operator is looking to invest in it.

“We know we are attracting more tourists and also more and more people are coming here to do business, and this is driving demand for hotel rooms.

“The Haymarket location is a good one for a hotel. It is right in the heart of the city and will bring more investment, more life and more people into the middle of the city.

“It will have an access from the Haymarket car park that the city council operates and it gives us opportunity to put some long overdue investment into it.

“I don’t think anyone would argue the building is not the prettiest example of 1960s architecture, so any improvements would be welcome.”

The plans are still subject to the approval of the council’s planning committee, but Sir Peter said: “I cannot imagine any reason why the committee would be anything other than supportive.”

The city council is already funding a £3 million restoration of the defunct Haymarket Theatre to turn it into an entertainment venue. Sir Peter said the hotel plan would complement the re-use of the venue.