UK: TODD Architects have submitted plans to refurbish and redevelop the Central Methodist Hall into The Dean Birmingham on behalf of Press Up Hospitality Group and sister company Oakmount.
Plans call for a 150-room Dean-branded hotel with eight new bars and restaurants at ground and basement levels. A 1500-seat event space along with a stage forms part of the proposal, along with a members club, two external terraces, and rooftop restaurant.
To achieve the project, a three-storey rooftop extension and single-storey extension to the south will need to be completed. The building, which is Grade II-listed, was originally built in 1904 and many features will be preserved during the redevelopment.
Seamus Lennon, principal at TODD Architects, said: “The Central Methodist Hall offers the opportunity to mix the height of Victorian grandeur with a fresh and contemporary take on the modern hospitality offer. Whilst it remains necessary to extend the building vertically to ensure the project is commercially viable, our proposals will ensure this is done sensitively and allow the full restoration of the Central Hall space to be enjoyed by generations to come.
“It is a rare opportunity to contribute to the ongoing story of such an important cultural landmark as Birmingham Central Methodist Hall. Building on our growing portfolio of hospitality and leisure schemes throughout the UK and our specialist knowledge in commercially successful adaptive re-use of buildings, our proposal will deliver a high-quality hotel and leisure destination that will have a transformative impact on the immediate neighbourhood and support Birmingham City Council’s wider regeneration targets,” he added.
If approved, the scheme will mark the first location for The Dean outside of the Republic of Ireland. The brand, operated by Press Up Hospitality Group, currently has locations in Dublin, Cork and Galway.
Press Up was established in 2009 and operates over 70 venues across a variety of sectors, including restaurants, bars, hotels and high-end cinemas.
