Iconic city landmark’s renewal under way
WORK to transform an iconic Cardiff building is under way.
Custom House in the city centre is set to be turned into one of the biggest hotel and restaurant schemes ever seen in the capital.
In March it was announced that Aviva Investors, through its Lime Property Fund, agreed to fund the 20-storey hotel, bar and restaurant scheme at the site of the empty Custom House and York Hotel buildings at the bottom of St Mary Street. The deal is worth £34m.
Demolition of the former York Hotel and elements of Custom House were already under way when the deal was announced. Major work has since started, with large cranes and scaffolding erected at the site.
The building on Custom House Street has been empty for several years.
The 125,000sq ft hotel and bar/restaurant, which will retain the listed Custom House facade, plans to open next year.
The Custom House development has been pre-let to Premier Inn, which will run a 248-bedroom hotel across 17 floors.
It will also include a Whitbreadbranded Bar & Block restaurant on the ground and mezzanine levels fronting Custom House Street and St Mary Street.
Jamie Devonald, of Barola, which is effectively being financed by Aviva to deliver the project, said in March: “We are delighted to have concluded a forward funding agreement with Aviva Investors to develop this important site and look forward to delivering a landmark building for both the Lime Property Fund and Premier Inn.
“In recent years our development activities have taken us away from Wales, so it will be especially gratifying to undertake a project in Cardiff, our home city.”