UK: The empty Hostel Point building on Brighton seafront could be transformed into a luxury boutique hotel under plans submitted to the city council by two local businessmen.
James Randall and Lucky Gohler plan to refurbish the Hostel Point building and convert the property into a 40-bedroom hotel called The Louche. London-based architects Dexter Moren Associates drew up the plans.
Originally built in 1830, the site comprised three separate houses which were combined and run as a private hotel by 1861. An additional floor was added to one of the houses and from 1911 the building became known as the Palace Pier Hotel.
In the mid-1980s the hotel was refitted and renamed the Princes Hotel. In 2015 it reopened as Hostel Point.
As part of the renovation, plans call for a rooftop extension for a terrace bar and restaurant which would be open to the public.
Randall said: “Our vision for The Louche is to bring this beautiful seafront building back into use and restore its former purpose as a hotel, attracting more high-spend visitors to the city and providing a boost for local businesses, as well as creating new jobs.
“This corner of Brighton is ripe for respectful redevelopment, as part of a broader regeneration of the seafront. It needs major investment as the site at 10-12 Grand Junction Road has been neglected. If a successful outcome cannot be reached there is a danger that this site will remain derelict for at least another decade and negatively impact the building next door – Pier Nine Casino.”
Gohler added: “Currently there are hardly any rooftop bars and surprisingly, no Michelin-star restaurants in Brighton yet. Our city attracts millions of visitors every year, yet we know there’s a shortage of accommodation and an appetite for more high-end options. The Louche would help fill this gap, as well as providing a vibrant new venue for local people to enjoy and local jobs.”
The planning application can be viewed on the Brighton & Hove City Council website here.
