Kirklees Council on 'complicated' George Hotel setbacks amid 'justice to Huddersfield' vow
Despite some setbacks, Kirklees Council remains “very excited” about the future of Huddersfield’s George Hotel.
The Grade II* Listed hotel sits in the heart of Huddersfield across from the town’s iconic railway station at St George’s Square. Plans given the seal of approval last June will see the building transformed into a 91-room Radisson RED hotel, complete with a 70-seat restaurant and bar, conference facilities, and a sizable banqueting hall.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing as work has got underway, with the council still unable to commit to a timeline for the expected opening date of the hotel. Just last month, soaring construction costs were believed to be responsible for some delays. The latest estimated opening date was given as summer 2025.
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However, Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration, Cllr Graham Turner, remains optimistic and has given an update on the current status of the scheme. He said: “As always with a Listed building, our work on the George Hotel is a very complicated restoration project – especially as we’re so passionate about doing justice to this building and its historic importance to Huddersfield.
“As sometimes happens with prominent regeneration projects, we’re facing a period where the lion’s share of the work is all the planning and preparation that takes place in the background, as we take the time to get it right. What’s happening at the moment is further in-depth work with specialist contractors on that process of restoring the George to its former glory, with the best possible benefit and value for local people, and for the town centre itself.
“We will provide more detailed public updates on this in due course – and in the meantime, we’re continuing to work closely with Radisson, to bring the George forward as a high-quality Radisson RED hotel when it reopens its doors once again.
“While this type of project will always come with challenges, particularly during the current national financial climate, we’re still very excited about the George Hotel’s future and its place in the regeneration of Huddersfield town centre.”
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