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Post by ox11yellow on Nov 29, 2015 21:19:20 GMT
From the Oxford Mail site:-
OXFORD’S new £12m Hilton hotel will help to meet growing demand for rooms in the city, according to its new manager.
The Hampton by Hilton at the Kassam Stadium will be the international chain’s first in the city when it opens on Monday, December 7.
The 103-bedroom hotel has been built in Grenoble Road near Oxford United’s stadium, creating 25 full and part-time jobs.
The hotel is managed by Firoka Ltd, run by former Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam, and offers mid-range accommodation.
General manager Arun Kumar, 35, said 90 per cent of staff had been recruited locally.
He added: “This is a big investment for Oxford and a much-needed one – there is a huge demand for hotel rooms in the city and this will help to meet that need.
“We are five minutes away from the A34 and just south of the Eastern bypass, so that makes getting to and from the hotel easy, and there will be plenty of free parking. We are working on the finishing touches to the hotel.”
Mr Kumar, who has previously worked at Hilton hotels in Ealing and Hyde Park in London, said the hotel’s average room rate would be £105 per night.
Mr Kassam said the hotel with the Hilton brand was being built and managed by Firoka.
He added: “We have been investing in Oxford for many years and will continue to do so.”
Mr Kassam said discussions were continuing with the city council regarding the former Priory pub, on the site of a nunnery founded in 1110AD.
He added: “I did offer the lease to the council but they didn’t want it, so it’s my obligation.
“It doesn’t look right to have it boarded up next to the new hotel so it needs investment.
“It’s a listed building and hopefully we will have some news soon on what is going to happen with it – it could be a pub plus a restaurant.”
Hampton is a brand of the Hilton Worldwide group and there are more than 2,000 Hampton by Hilton hotels around the world.
A new £5.5m Travelodge hotel is taking shape in Abingdon Road, next to the Redbridge park-and-ride, and will provide 83 bedrooms when it opens early next year.
It was revealed earlier this year that Oxford was the fourth most costly location for booking a double room in the UK.
Martin Walker, a spokesman for tourism body Experience Oxfordshire, welcomed the arrival of the new hotels.
He added: “They will help to meet the demand from visitors and help them to be able to afford to stay in Oxford"
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Post by Gary Baldi on Nov 29, 2015 22:02:58 GMT
Mr Kassam said discussions were continuing with the city council regarding the former Priory pub, on the site of a nunnery founded in 1110AD.
He added: “I did offer the lease to the council but they didn’t want it, so it’s my obligation.
“It doesn’t look right to have it boarded up next to the new hotel so it needs investment.
Well Firoz, its been that way for some time and as the lease holder its been your obligation to do something about it. Not just leave it and hope the council will do something about it
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Post by saddletramp on Nov 30, 2015 6:33:40 GMT
"5 minutes from the A34" When ? 3 o'clock in the morning !
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Post by mcf86 on Nov 30, 2015 12:43:17 GMT
“It’s a listed building and hopefully we will have some news soon on what is going to happen with it – it could be a pub plus a restaurant.”
Probably be a bit up market for some of us, but if it's restored to a very good standard within the Grade2 listed status then fine.
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Post by malcolmnl on Nov 30, 2015 15:12:48 GMT
i read somewhere that Oxford was the most expensive in the UK. My searches for hotel rooms confirm that. But thank you junior for your assistance.
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Post by justoxford on Nov 30, 2015 19:11:41 GMT
Hang on have I missed something, I thought it was a planning condition that the Priory was to be restored before the New hotel could open. Has kassam done yet another deal with the council- when will they learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by eighteen93 on Nov 30, 2015 20:02:59 GMT
Hang on have I missed something, I thought it was a planning condition that the Priory was to be restored before the New hotel could open. Has kassam done yet another deal with the council- when will they learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Firoka Limited have sought to vary the terms of the planning permission. It wants to have a 6 month leeway after the hotel opens next week before works commence on the Priory. The Priory will need significant work to be undertaken - not just the roof repaired before it can re-open. Seems like Firoka will have to spend a significant sum of money.
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Post by justoxford on Nov 30, 2015 20:28:08 GMT
Hope the Council has the balls to say no, easier to stop it opening than close it after 6 months and all the bad publicity that will go with it.
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Post by whathesaid on Nov 30, 2015 21:51:22 GMT
You'd think that having a hotel next to the Priory makes the pub much more viable (and more trade out of the football season)?
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Post by MJB on Nov 30, 2015 22:15:29 GMT
You'd think that having a hotel next to the Priory makes the pub much more viable (and more trade out of the football season)? Yes unless the hotel itself has a bar which would dent its profits. Not sure if it does though.
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Post by whathesaid on Nov 30, 2015 22:21:38 GMT
You'd think that having a hotel next to the Priory makes the pub much more viable (and more trade out of the football season)? Yes unless the hotel itself has a bar which would dent its profits. Not sure if it does though. Pubs normally do quite well near to hotels - hotel bars are never that comfortable, and often expensive. Depends on the hotel really.
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Post by manorlounger on Nov 30, 2015 22:33:30 GMT
Yes unless the hotel itself has a bar which would dent its profits. Not sure if it does though. Pubs normally do quite well near to hotels - hotel bars are never that comfortable, and often expensive. Depends on the hotel really. No bar and no restaurant in the new hotel. (a small servery area judging by the photos) hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hampton-by-hilton-oxford-OXFHXHX/index.htmlHowever, that does not mean business for a pub next door. The location is far more important for the conference trade and unlikely to provide a reliable income for any publican. The science park has also not proved a source of income with the previous Priory. May well have been a lively location for home games but outside of those few hours there was never any reliable trade. If the pub were given a full make over as an upmarket gastro pub, maybe, just maybe, it could survive but it would take an investor with some deep pockets to get established.
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Post by Junior on Dec 1, 2015 5:26:40 GMT
Can't see Kassam ever paying for the work that the Priory needs.. It's not just what can be seen by the eye it's the deeper rooted stuff.. The place was falling apart when in use let alone now it's been standing in disrepair for years.. I wonder if we may see another attempt on turning it to ashes...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 6:54:59 GMT
Can see the priory ending up being a harvester with these hotels on site
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Post by botox on Dec 1, 2015 9:35:33 GMT
I think a toby carvery would do well there
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Post by Eaststandboy on Dec 1, 2015 9:57:37 GMT
I think a toby carvery would do well there If its to become a restaurant, they would need to massively extend it, the kitchen alone would be half the current size!
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Post by botox on Dec 1, 2015 11:11:39 GMT
I think a toby carvery would do well there If its to become a restaurant, they would need to massively extend it, the kitchen alone would be half the current size! Yeah true, it would be too small for a toby carvery. Still I think a TC would do well in the area. Everyone I have been to is always busy and fairly good value for what it is. The nearest one is Newbury or Banbury.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2015 11:28:49 GMT
If it turns into a f*cking carvery I will burn it down.
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Post by Junior on Dec 1, 2015 11:29:13 GMT
Would mean a lot of eateries in one small area.
You've got Frankkie and Bennies, The Oxy, Aziz, even the chip shop and Bowlplex offer certain levels of food.
I'll still go for the burned down option I reckon!
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2015 11:33:43 GMT
Too right. 'certain levels of food' is bloody polite. Another outlet for prepackaged shite is just what the area needs.
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Post by Eaststandboy on Dec 1, 2015 12:09:34 GMT
Would mean a lot of eateries in one small area. You've got Frankkie and Bennies, The Oxy, Aziz, even the chip shop and Bowlplex offer certain levels of food. I'll still go for the burned down option I reckon! Aziz has left the complex, its now a wa! curry..... But yes, lots of food outlets.
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Post by londonroader on Dec 1, 2015 12:19:07 GMT
Too right. 'certain levels of food' is bloody polite. Another outlet for prepackaged shite is just what the area needs. Have you sampled the culinary delights of the Blackbird, the goat curry is especially nice.
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Post by sarge on Dec 1, 2015 13:07:45 GMT
Can't see Kassam ever paying for the work that the Priory needs.. It's not just what can be seen by the eye it's the deeper rooted stuff.. The place was falling apart when in use let alone now it's been standing in disrepair for years.. I wonder if we may see another attempt on turning it to ashes... IF the Priory was 'mysteriously' torched, it would cause unwanted damage to OGB's latest toy/hotel Id reckon? the leaseholder, Ka$$am, IS financially responsible for the upkeep , inside and outside of the grade 2 listed Priory, which needs at least £250, 000 spending on it to get it up to the standard it should be in, not the sad and sorry condition the leaseholder has allowed to to fall into. However, the owners , Oxford City Council, have been reluctant to enforce that part of the lease, also, when the Priory was still open, lets not forget that the very same Oxford City Council 'served notice' on the marquee outside the Priory as , quote ' it wasnt in keeping with the surroundings' yet, the go and grant full planning permission for OGB to build a modern hotel right next to it! ( the process of building said hotel more than likely damaged the foundations of the grade 2 listed Priory) The whole thing seems to have a lot of double standards that have been applied, probably with fat brown envelopes greasing a few palms, as English Heritage, Preservation of Rural Britain, along with other similar so called conservationist setups, plus Oxford City Council too, appear to have no interest in a grade 2 listed building, thus allowing OGB to , as usual, do anything and everything he wants. And dont expect a proper investigative journalist to see what they can dig up on the situation, as questionable 'evidence' will have been buried and concreted over in the foundations of Ka$$ams latest venture Id say.... and the Oxford Fail and other local media outlets all appear to be in the pockets of OGB too....shame on them all!
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Post by m on Dec 1, 2015 13:24:53 GMT
Can't see Kassam ever paying for the work that the Priory needs.. It's not just what can be seen by the eye it's the deeper rooted stuff.. The place was falling apart when in use let alone now it's been standing in disrepair for years.. I wonder if we may see another attempt on turning it to ashes... IF the Priory was 'mysteriously' torched, it would cause unwanted damage to OGB's latest toy/hotel Id reckon? the leaseholder, Ka$$am, IS financially responsible for the upkeep , inside and outside of the grade 2 listed Priory, which needs at least £250, 000 spending on it to get it up to the standard it should be in, not the sad and sorry condition the leaseholds has allowed to to fall into. However, the owners , Oxford City Council, have been reluctant to enforce that part of the lease, also, when the Priory was still open, lets not forget that the very same Oxford City Council 'served notice' on the marquee outside the Priory as , quote ' it wasnt in keeping with the surroundings' yet, the go and grant full planning permission for OGB to build a modern hotel right next to it! ( the process of building said hotel more than likely damaged the foundations of the grade 2 listed Priory) The whole thing seems to have a lot of double standards that have been applied, probably with fat brown envelopes greasing a few palms, as English Heritage, Preservation of Rural Britain, along with other similar so called conservationist setups, plus Oxford City Council too, appear to have no interest in a grade 2 listed building, thus allowing OGB to , as usual, do anything and everything he wants. And dont expect a proper investigative journalist to see what they can dig up on the situation, as it will all have been buried and concreted over in the foundations of Ka$$ams latest venture Id say.... and the Oxford Fail and other local media outlets all appear to be in the pockets of OGB too....shame on them all! Indeed. I'm sure it's not corrupt but I can certainly see why many people would swear blind it was. Bent as a nine bob note, that's how it probably looks to some.
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Post by Mark on Dec 1, 2015 14:21:36 GMT
Sadly it never got the day-to-day passing trade. As Sarge says it would cost a fortune to put it right / improve it. I wonder if you could for instance build a modern kitchen as an annex?
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2015 16:21:23 GMT
Sorry if you've all read this and got bored or whatever. I posted a few weeks ago that Kassam / hoteliers had applied for a change to planning to allow them, subject to agreeing a longer lease with the council, to refurbish the whole Priory at some unspecified time rather than the facade before it opened. There was more.
As sarge will surely remember, English Heritage declined in Nov 2013 (right, sarge?) to put the Priory on the Buildings at Risk register because it 'was all going to be sorted out soon'.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2015 17:14:12 GMT
Too right. 'certain levels of food' is bloody polite. Another outlet for prepackaged shite is just what the area needs. Have you sampled the culinary delights of the Blackbird, the goat curry is especially nice. Well remembered, Mr Roader, we can't forget to advertise the fare at the best eatery within 3 miles of the Grenoble Road stadium. Yes, I'm looking at you the Baldons' Mole and Chicken or whatever you're called with your modern floor, light-coloured tables, 90's food and cliched black-clad clueless servitors. This Sunday the Bird will be serving a five course feast in the newly-opened upstairs Sennett Gallery (stools only, no chairs; avoids fuss): - Beluga caviar on home-baked sourdough blinis, 2004 Veuve Cliquot
- Chislehampton crayfish on a bed of foraged Osney samphire, 2005 Leflaive Le Pucelles
- Saumon dans le facon de Toby, wilted aged root veg, chips, tartare sauce a ping-ping, NV Chardonnay chez boite
- Loin of Sherborne venison, blackcurrant and quince jus, game chips, red kale and topinambour with comice pear warm salad, 2003 Château Calon-Ségur
- Croquembouche, hibiscus beet gelato, gold thread, 2007 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
I should warn newly-tempted warn forum members that the BlackBird operates a strict dress code - no overalls, no workboots. Edit: this meal is featured in a Harpers' and Queen advertisement, so it might be wise to book early.
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Post by londonroader on Dec 1, 2015 17:24:30 GMT
Have you sampled the culinary delights of the Blackbird, the goat curry is especially nice. Well remembered, Mr Roader, we can't forget to advertise the fare at the best eatery within 3 miles of the Grenoble Road stadium. Yes, I'm looking at you the Baldons' Mole and Chicken or whatever you're called with your modern floor, light-coloured tables, 90's food and cliched black-clad clueless servitors. This Sunday the Bird will be serving a five course feast in the newly-opened upstairs Sennett Gallery (stools only, no chairs; avoids fuss): - Beluga caviar on home-baked sourdough blinis, 2004 Veuve Cliquot
- Chislehampton crayfish on a bed of foraged Osney samphire, 2005 Leflaive Le Pucelles
- Saumon dans le facon de Toby, wilted aged root veg, chips, tartare sauce a ping-ping, NV Chardonnay chez boite
- Loin of Sherborne venison, blackcurrant and quince jus, game chips, red kale and topinambour with comice pear warm salad, 2003 Château Calon-Ségur
- Croquembouche, hibiscus beet gelato, gold thread, 2007 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
I should warn newly-tempted warn forum members that the BlackBird operates a strict dress code - no overalls, no workboots. Edit: this meal is featured in a Harpers' and Queen advertisement, so it might be wise to book early. Very good, but "stools only" that sound a tad painful.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2015 17:38:09 GMT
Don't be modest; it's no mean feat to forage 2 stones of Osney samphire and chef's relying on you.
I was in favour of Shaker chairs myself but Mark had trouble getting both his tails under the lowest rail together, so stools it is.
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Post by bazzer9461 on Dec 1, 2015 17:48:38 GMT
Have you sampled the culinary delights of the Blackbird, the goat curry is especially nice. Well remembered, Mr Roader, we can't forget to advertise the fare at the best eatery within 3 miles of the Grenoble Road stadium. Yes, I'm looking at you the Baldons' Mole and Chicken or whatever you're called with your modern floor, light-coloured tables, 90's food and cliched black-clad clueless servitors. This Sunday the Bird will be serving a five course feast in the newly-opened upstairs Sennett Gallery (stools only, no chairs; avoids fuss): - Beluga caviar on home-baked sourdough blinis, 2004 Veuve Cliquot
- Chislehampton crayfish on a bed of foraged Osney samphire, 2005 Leflaive Le Pucelles
- Saumon dans le facon de Toby, wilted aged root veg, chips, tartare sauce a ping-ping, NV Chardonnay chez boite
- Loin of Sherborne venison, blackcurrant and quince jus, game chips, red kale and topinambour with comice pear warm salad, 2003 Château Calon-Ségur
- Croquembouche, hibiscus beet gelato, gold thread, 2007 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
I should warn newly-tempted warn forum members that the BlackBird operates a strict dress code - no overalls, no workboots. Edit: this meal is featured in a Harpers' and Queen advertisement, so it might be wise to book early. God if it's featured in Harpers i think i will stick with McDonalds
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