• submit a release / subscribe »

ABERDEEN based hotel developer and operator European Development Company (Hotels) Limited have unveiled multi-million pound plans for the re-building of what was formerly Glasgow’s famous Albany Hotel.

The company will submit plans to Glasgow City Council in the next week for a new look 4/5 star Crowne Plaza 300 bedroom hotel, 275 bedroom Express by Holiday Inn and top restaurant. The building, on Bothwell Street in the city centre, will also feature a brasserie, two floor piano bar, luxury spa, health & fitness facilities, state-of-the-art conference centre and office accommodation.

Work has already begun to demolish the existing Holiday Inn City West building to make way for the ‘Bothwell Plaza’ complex which could cost up to £140M.

The Albany Hotel was a famous fixture on the Glasgow social scene during the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s. Opening in 1973 it was the premier hotel in the city for many years.

EDC director Ivor Finnie hopes that the new development will retain the same charm and attraction. Mr Finnie said: “ We know how popular the Albany was as a venue for local people and for visitors to Glasgow. What we are planning is a completely new development that will carry with it the charm and attraction of the Albany to provide a first-class hotel and conference centre for Glasgow, Scotland and the UK.”

The multi-million project will provide 250 jobs, 1800 office jobs and 1000 construction jobs in the city. The Crowne Plaza will also have a whole floor of meeting rooms and a purpose built function suite, making it the largest hotel facility in Glasgow, catering for up to 1400 people.

The offices are amongst the largest currently proposed for the city (160,000sq ft) and of the highest quality to be offered at 5 star equivalent. The two hotels and office space – designed by architects SMC Jenkins & Marr - will be built around a European-style central plaza offering lunchtime orchestral recitals, fashion shows and other outdoor activities.

With over £1M being invested in the lighting of the building EDC want to create a development that is a first for Scotland.

Ivor Finnie said: “We want to light the whole of this development in a way that has never been seen in Scotland and indeed very infrequently in the UK. The best example of this can be seen at the Centre Building in Hong Kong and Burg Al Arab in Dubai.”

Building is scheduled to start at the end of the year with the new Plaza to be complete by Spring 2010. The hotel would become EDC’s first in Glasgow, the company also own two Holiday Inn’s and an Express by Holiday Inn in Aberdeen and an Express by Holiday Inn in Edinburgh city centre.