Work to convert Grade 2 listed Bow Street Magistrates Court in London’s Covent Garden into a hotel is – at last – getting closer. The Court closed back in 2006 after 267 years in operation – and having ‘featured’ a host of famous personalities, including Casanova, Oscar Wilde and the Kray twins.
Acquired in 2008 by the Austrian Ploberger family who have two hotels in Prague – the Hotel Josef – and the Maximilian Hotel – it will be transformed into a 99 bedroom boutique hotel.
Some of its history and character will be retained through the retention of some of the prison cells and the establishment of a police museum on site – it is reported that 4 bedrooms will actually be created from the existing police cells. The conversion project also features a restaurant in the original court room.
It is awaiting full planning permission before work can begin later this year on the £20 million project, which is expected to open in 2015.