Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Historic city hotel in bid to expand to gain four stars
Ambitious plans would increase rooms by 21
The owners of a historic hotel in the heart of Canterbury want to carry out a multi-million pound expansion in a bid to secure it four-star status. Ambitious plans for the 16th century Falstaff Hotel in St Dunstan’s Street have been submitted, revealing proposals to add 21 new rooms to the 50 already offered.
But just three will be in the Grade Ii-listed building itself, with its attic space transformed into en-suite accommodation. The rest of the renovations will take place in two buildings to the rear of the hotel.
A 19th century warehouse previously converted into accommodation - known as The Woodmill - will be expanded further to offer 10 more rooms over three storeys.
The final eight rooms will be built on the site of a neighbouring disused industrial store, which will undergo a conversion with a two-storey extension. Near-identical proposals were given the green light in 2016 and 2018, but the planning and listed building consents have since expired.
The hotel’s owner, Westgate Towers Ltd, bought the site in 2010, and in 2015 carried out extensive works to remodel the public bar and seating area fronting St Dunstan’s Street. It hopes the expansion of the site will help continue the regeneration of the St Dunstan’s area. Director Alex Clarke said: “Our strategy generally is to
try to upgrade the hotel to a higher standard, to match the city’s strategy of attracting higher value and higher quality tourism, which is essential to the health of the tourism sector going forward.
“Our future success is very much linked to the success of Canterbury and the surrounding areas as a tourism destination.
“We want to help the city get back on track after a challenging few years.”
It is hoped the expansion will create 10 new part-time jobs. Westgate Towers Ltd is hoping
to emulate an award-winning refurbishment it carried out at a 15th century hotel it owns in East Sussex.
The project at The George in Rye earned the hotel four-star status and two conservation awards in 2007.
The venue was tragically destroyed by fire in summer of 2019, but is set to relaunch this May.
Work to renovate the damaged hotel meant the expansion of the Falstaff was put on hold, leading to the planning consents expiring.
The Falstaff itself is Grade Ii-listed, but the two buildings to the rear are not. They all sit in a conservation area.
The latest proposals will be decided by the city council at a date yet to be set.
If approved, it’s hoped the work could start early next year and be complete by late summer. What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk.
‘The hotel seeks to rise to four-star status, with the addition of more accommodation...’