Hotel plan for Gloucester prison?
REGENERATION experts believe Gloucester prison could be turned in to a hotel – but only if the economic climate is right.
Oxford's former jail has been turned in to a swanky £300+ a night Malmaison hotel and leading city architect Jeff Roberts said it's possible to do the same here.
"Whether Gloucester could support a boutique, niche hotel is a stumbling block, but it depends on the economic climate," said Mr Roberts, of Roberts Limbrick architects.
"It could also be used for a museum, or a pub or restaurant, or it may be that residential use is an option.
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"There would need to be a feasibility study first. It's a fantastic opportunity if you can get the right use to fit."
City council leader Paul James said: "I feel sorry for the people who work there but this is an opportunity to link the future use of the prison with the wider regeneration of the greater Blackfriars area.
"Other prisons have been successfully converted to hotels. It's a bit early to come up with detail about future use - there is a lot of potential there, particularly with the Quayside site."
High Worsnip, of Gloucester Civic Trust, added: "We would like to see it converted into a pub or hotel. It's a historic building in a key site."
Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company boss Chris Oldershaw said it has looked at what's been done with the old Oxford jail.
"It seems to work fairly well there and it is something we have looked at. We have also been looking at the Crown and Magistrates' Courts, which are fairly poor buildings. They could go in a new building with a police office at Blackfriars."
The Blackfriars priory is being primed to become a jewel in Gloucester's historic crown, with the language immersion centre alongside.
"The land surrounding Blackfriars is all publicly owned in some way, which raises a lot of possibilities."
Many parts of the prison are Grade II-listed. The Debtors' Prison became a cell block on the west side and is Grade II*-listed, meaning the interior is protected too. The oldest part, which retains features from the 1791 prison, is also Grade II Listed.
Comments
by darrellglos
Sunday, January 13 2013, 9:41PM
“I bet the Council will spend a lot of money on plans for the area and then have a public consultation on what people would like to see. Then just end up building another Supermarket.”
by tishwash
Sunday, January 13 2013, 5:03PM
“£300 a night ? erm, go look on the website I just put a search in and got £95...... hardly £300 a night at least do a quick check in future TiG!
@SELINA30 - why does the government need to change for the cathedral's good ?”
by SandraPee
Sunday, January 13 2013, 3:11PM
“It would be a very smart move to entice Robert Opie back ..........!”
by Glos_Lad34
Sunday, January 13 2013, 9:35AM
“We don't need a hotel or housing in the now old prison, Turn it into something suitable like a Prison Museum like the one in Dartmoor as i have said in another article.”
by chr1582
Saturday, January 12 2013, 6:08PM
“there is absolutely no way i'd stay in a converted prison through choice!! it looks appalling and worse than if they left it as an open prison!!
The people designing this need locking up for crimes against their trade and i've got the ideal place for them....”
by NibNobs
Saturday, January 12 2013, 2:27PM
“North Glos EPC,
Like the idea of affordable housing - as money/benefits get tighter it could become an ideal place to save giving new claimants housing benefit. If they are unemployed or not very busy during the day they could be paid to wander round Gloucester Quays to make it look busy on rainy week days.”
by glousman
Saturday, January 12 2013, 2:05PM
“All very well these so called "City Planners" talking about turning the prison into a hotel, and bringing more visitirs to Gloucester. But surely before all this they need to do something about the terrible bus station. Anyone arriving here fro the first time by bus must think what a dump this city is!!! It really does give Gloucester a very bad first impression....”
by North Glos EPC
Saturday, January 12 2013, 1:28PM
“Looks to me like the ideal site for all this affordable housing they keep telling us we desparately need. Either through conversion to apartments or re-development.
I'd say we're not short of hotels, it's housing we need to avoid destroying the counrtyside.”
by LegalEagle1
Saturday, January 12 2013, 12:54PM
“What a thoroughly **** idea. Closure provides another opportunity for well desreved demolition and to resculpture the tired old centre of the city. Let it be so.”
by Studley1975
Saturday, January 12 2013, 12:27PM
“It Was Already A Hotel, The HMP Hotel, Where Doors Were Opened & Closed For You, Three Square Meals A Day, No Bills, En Suite TV & Toilet, No Washing, Ironing, Cleaning Or Work......”