Plans for London’s first underground hotel, 50ft below the surface with windowless rooms, have been rejected by councillors who warned it would be a “minus-five star” destination.
Criterion Capital applied to convert a below-ground NCP car park in Bloomsbury into a 166-room Tokyo-style “pod hotel”.
The LDN hotel would be artificially lit and have no restaurant and bar. It would be on the fourth and fifth floors beneath a commercial block in Great Russell Street, near Tottenham Court Road Tube station.
It was touted as budget accommodation for tourists and business travellers. But Camden council turned down the scheme last night.
Councillor Stephen Stark said: “With no windows in the rooms, it’s not a zero-star rating for the hotel but probably minus five stars.”
Colleague Adam Harrison said: “We need to ensure it’s safe staying five storeys underground in a part of London with some of the worst air quality in Europe.”
Criterion argued it would “have much benefit to the area and create 24 jobs”.
Source: Evening Standard.
4 comments:
Here's the proof, I told you it's a race to the bottom!
Who will rank up there us or Aussie cabs?
Providing its not a fire hazard nor cause for clostrophobia, I don't see why planning turned it down on grounds of luxury. Why has a labour consellor insisted that a hotel needs to meet a michelin star rating in order for it to operate, arn't dwellings for low income earners welcome in the capital?
They obviously have not lobbied ( BRIBED ) the Camden planners enough.
they probably just applied for planning in the NORMAL way, how you should ....... and when no (cough) candy was added got the big F.O.
Shoulda told the Peoples Republic of Camden that they would install bike racks outside and free intertubes to all who stayed, application would a flown threw.
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