York-based property development company S Harrison has signed a development agreement with lifestyle hotel brand Malmaison Hotel du Vin Group to transform a historic building in Edinburgh’s New Town. It will be the second location in the city for the group’s collection of boutique hotels.
The grade-A listed Buchan House in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, will be converted into a 72-bedroom hotel, which will open in 2019.
Planning permission was granted for the redevelopment in November 2017 and renovation work on the historic building that covers 44,000 sq ft. Malmaison will restore the building’s period features to make Buchan House a unique hotel offering within the famous Georgian architecture of Edinburgh’s New Town.
It will be S Harrison’s second development for the Malmaison Hotel du Vin Group, with work due to complete on another hotel soon – the Hotel du Vin in Stratford-upon-Avon. The work has seen two Grade II listed Georgian townhouses transformed into a 46-bedroom hotel, close to the centre of Shakespeare’s hometown.
S Harrison has built a strong and growing presence in Edinburgh following its successful £23m redevelopment of a site on Leith Walk in 2016. The site was formerly part of Edinburgh’s original Botanic Gardens and was transformed into a 240-bedroom student accommodation scheme. S Harrison has also recently bought two other sites in the Leith and Haymarket areas of the city and continues to explore other opportunities in the area.
S Harrison’s development director David Clancy, said: “This is an exciting project and we are very pleased to conclude this deal with Malmaison, who will bring to life such an extremely prominent building. Its rich history and splendid architectural features will ultimately form the foundations of a fascinating, memorable and truly unique hotel.
“Malmaison’s high-quality offering and sympathetic styling in other high-profile buildings throughout the UK ensures it will be the perfect fit for Buchan House.”
Guus Bakker, chief executive officer, Malmaison Hotel du Vin, said: “Edinburgh is a much loved global destination for tourists and business alike and Malmaison is a great fit for the city and its visitors. We are delighted to be complementing our existing Leith hotel with a great venue for visitors to the city centre. Where better to demonstrate our commitment to Scotland than with the opening of Malmaison in the famous St Andrew Square?”
The new hotel will complement the popular Malmaison Edinburgh Leith, which was the first ever Malmaison to open in 1994. It also marks the latest development in a period of significant growth and investment for the brand.
This includes plans to introduce Malmaison to York and Bournemouth, as well as the continued roll-out of its contemporary Chez Mal bar and brasserie and its innovative Work + Play meeting and events concept.
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