Opening date for The Store hotel in Oxford expected soon

Department store Boswells closed in 2020 and the historic building in Broad Street has been transformed into a 101-bedroom hotel with a rooftop bar and terrace.

Owners Reef Group had hoped to open the hotel before the end of the year but contractor Gilbert-Ash was hit by unexpected delays and the opening is now scheduled for the spring.

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More information on the opening date is expected within weeks, according to the hotel group.

General manager Simon Drake estimated in November that the hotel would be ready to open by February or March.

In a new sign of progress, building work outside the Broad Street entrance to the hotel has now been cleared.

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It blocked part of the street close to the Cornmarket junction for most of last year.

The work schedule has been hit by a number of delays, including a temporary problem sourcing the power supply to the hotel.

Mr Drake said earlier he and his staff can't wait for the hotel to open.

He is excited by the prospect of entertaining guests on the rooftop terrace where there will be "meat smokers, parasols and heaters", with seating for 20 or 30 guests and a capacity for 60 people.

The hotel, restaurant, rooftop bar, co-working bar, and spa is being designed by Reef Group and hospitality team EQ Group.

The hotel has seven floors. 

The 101 bedrooms are spread across the two interconnected buildings, some with velvet headboards, panelled walls, and bold art deco features, while others have courtyard views.

The restaurant called Treadwell will serve sustainably sourced produce from local suppliers, and diners can expect Chicken Tikka Masala Pie, and The Store Cheeseburger.

The ground floor bar at The Store will feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Broad Street and bosses have said this space can be used for coffee meetings and lunches throughout the day.

The Roof at The Store will be a bar and terrace offering views over Oxford.

The entrance to the hotel will be on Broad Street.

Imshan Jamal, of EQ Group, said earlier: "Our last project, Hotel Dame des Arts in Paris, has had a great reception and attracts a real mix of travellers.

"We’ve taken the principles we used there – the essence of what makes it successful - and looked at how we apply them in Oxford."

Managers have been busy recruiting staff and people living locally are preferred.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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