STAFF at a four-star hotel in Oxford are waiting to hear if plans for a 48-bedroom extension will still go-ahead following a takeover.

Last month the Principal Oxford Spires Hotel in Abingdon Road was taken over by the InterContinental Hotel Group and its name could now change.

Two years ago plans were submitted to the city council for an 30-room block at the front and a 18-room block at the back to add to the total of 181 rooms.

But last month the hotel became one of 13 operated IHG, by following the £858m acquisition of the Principal hotel group by French company FDR from the US-based Starwood Capital Group.

Lauren Moment-Walker, a spokeswoman for IHG, confirmed the Principal Oxford Spires would now be operated by IHG but said it was too early to say whether the extension would go ahead.

She added: “There will now be a managed lease of the hotel operated by IHG.”

Ms Moment-Walker said it was possible the name could change after the hotel was ‘rebranded’.

Stuart Cutts, domestic manager at the hotel, said: “This is a very successful hotel and if the extension goes ahead brilliant but if it doesn’t we will still be successful.

“As there has been a change we are waiting to hear from the new owners what is going to happen, and they will be visiting to conduct their own surveys of the site.”

A spokesman for IHG added: “This deal will establish IHG as the leading luxury hotel operator in the UK, taking it to more than 2,000 rooms in this valuable, fast growing segment.”

A £5.5m, 83-bedroom Travelodge opened at the bottom of Abingdon Road in 2016 and the demand for hotel rooms in the city remains high.

Graham Jones, a spokesman for traders’ group ROX - Backing Oxford Businesses - said he hoped the extension would go ahead.

He added: “It’s close to the city centre and it’s a good venue for conferences and business meetings.

“There is still a growing demand for hotel accommodation and it’s possible to walk from the hotel to the city centre.”

The De Vere Oxford Thames in Sandford-on-Thames will also be operated by IHG following last month’s takeover.

In February managers at Principal Oxford Spires Hotel put up signs warning guests and other visitors they would face charges for parking on site.

The new charging system was introduced after drivers who were not guests took up spaces in the car park.

Some of them were thought to be shoppers heading to the Westgate Centre.

Plans for the hotel extension could be decided by the council’s West area committee if they go ahead.