Famous court set to become hotel

Guests will be able to get first-hand experience of a night or two in jail cells after planners gave the go-ahead for transforming a court into a hotel.

Westminster City Council approved plans to redevelop Bow Street Magistrates' Court in Covent Garden, central London.

The court closed its docks in July 2006 and will now become a 76-room hotel with 16 'sleepover cells' and a museum telling stories about famous residents.

Oscar Wilde, Cassanova and Jeffrey Archer have spent time in the cells.

Demand for hotels

The interiors of the hotel will be designed by milliner Philip Treacy and the 16 cells will remain with improvements made but retaining many of the existing features including the toilets.

The museum will recount the history of the court and famous inmates in the Grade II listed building.

Councillor Robert Davis, chairman of the council's Built Environment Committee, said: "The museum and hotel provide a fantastic opportunity to redevelop this currently disused site and will further enhance the historical character and atmosphere of London's Covent Garden."

Edward Holdings is redeveloping the building which housed both Bow Street Police Station, which has been empty since 1992, and the magistrates' court.

David Barrett of Edward Holdings said: "We have no doubt that the building's redevelopment will create a 'buzz' of anticipation throughout the world.

"The facade will, of course, remain as it is, but we are placing our confidence in Philip Treacy to weave his magic on the interiors and set a new benchmark for hotel design."

The committee also approved plans to convert the Metropole buildings in Northumberland Avenue, west London, into a 297-bedroom super luxury six star hotel and another four star 245-room hotel and five restaurants built just off Leicester Square.

The Swiss Centre in Leicester Square, the former Playboy club and casino in Park Lane, the upper floors of the Trocadero Centre and Cafe Royal are also due to be converted into hotels.

Councillor Davis said: "We're experiencing a surge of applications for major new hotels particularly at the top end of the market and despite the credit crunch I can only see this activity intensifying as come 2012."

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