10 minute read
Back to her Former Glory
DISCOUNT CODE: SUMMER21 HOTELS & LEISURE
The George Hotel, Colchester, Essex Historic hotel unveils stunning £10m revamp that pays homage to its heritage and heralds a new, exciting era.
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THE BOUDICEA SUITE
HOTELS & LEISURE DISCOUNT CODE: SUMMER21
Colchester’s historic George Hotel hast just reopened its doors following a monumental £10m renovation.
A hive of activity for more than 500 years, the historic inn closed at the end of July 2019 to undergo extensive restoration work.
In this issue, we are delighted to unveil a series of stunning photographs showcasing its recently renovated, magnificent interior which includes: a large, open-plan lounge space – complete with cosy sofas, ornamental log burners, designer wallpapers and chic soft furnishings; an extended dining room; a Moroccan-style, partially covered secret courtyard; and a Victorianinspired, eclectic afternoon tea room titled T at The George.
Culinary excellence
The George Hotel’s restaurant has a long-term association with culinary excellence and the site is returning with a superior food offering as it ups its effort to become Colchester’s ultimate dining destination. The historic coaching inn is now home to a stylish brasserie with excellent English a la carte dishes and daily specials served daily from midday to 9pm. Award-winning chef Aaron Skerrit, former Head Chef with hotel group Milsoms, has taken the helm at The George’s kitchen.
Designer finishes
Designer touches across the hotel include luxury Sanderson fabrics, designer fabric upholstered headboards and bespoke lighting from Northern Lights, with the overall concept brought together by Sudbury-based interiors specialists Amor Interiors. Discreet and powerful designer sound systems by high-end manufacturers Bang & Olufsen are blended throughout the interior offering seamless, superior sound quality. Licensed prints by award-winning artist Alexandra Gallagher are visible throughout the hotel. The British artist, whose works celebrate the surreal and sublime, exhibits and sells internationally with the likes of Saatchi. Her imaginative works explore the realms of memory, dreams and fantasy.
Natural wood flooring, mixed with mosaic tiles and subtle soft furnishings, against scattered, bold Brunswick green walls, add an elegant finishing touch to the newly renovated space.
T AT THE GEORGE Coming this Summer 2021
Connoisseurs of a ernoon tea are in for a treat with the launch of T at e George which will be serving up a luxuriously chic a ernoon tea, in sumptuous, arty surroundings inspired by London’s nest teahouses. An array of beautiful handmade and quirky cakes, ne artisan teas (served in bespoke, locally made teapots) and a matching Champagne and cocktail list has all been carefully curated to ensure the vintage tearoom becomes Colchester’s premier destination for a spot of a ernoon tea with friends.
Luxury rooms
Highlights of the renovation across the bedrooms include the addition of seven spacious in-town suites featuring Emperor beds and up to 50-inch smart TVs. e remaining rooms are a mix of heritage doubles, twins and single rooms all featuring luxury king-size Hypnos beds as standard, as well as comfortable armchairs and workstations with access to high speed, complimentary WiFi, interactive 43-inch wall-mounted smart televisions (with Net ix) and modern bathrooms and shower suites.
A rich history
An architectural report into e George site, published in July 2019, revealed just how ‘nationally rare’ the building is, with architectural historian Leigh Alston stating: “ e greatest signi cance of e George is the extent to which it illustrates the scale and complexity of medieval inns in the heart of a major town. e great majority of commercial buildings of this kind were entirely rebuilt in the 16th century or later, and even fragmentary examples of the 14th and 15th centuries are nationally rare’.
Did you know?
• The George was fi rst mentioned in the trade directories of the 1790s as the George and Dragon. • The central portion of the building is part of a 15th century house which was built some time before 1494.
• Preserved behind a glass wall are several layers of soil which show the old Roman street level. One layer, darker than the others, is purported to be ashes left by the fi res that raged in the town when Queen Boudicca ransacked it in AD60.
• The George was remodelled and enlarged during the reign of Charles II, and most of the timbers date from this period. • During the reign of Queen Victoria, the hotel was considered to be one of the ten superior inns and hotels in Colchester.
• The George was refurbished in 1995 – during work experts were able to study the medieval framed structure and say that the building was originally only two storeys, with a third storey added later. • In the late 1800s, The George was the headquarters of Colchester Football Club.
THE SECRET COURTYARD PROVIDES AN ‘AL FRESCO’ MOROCCAN VIBE
Many of the hotel’s important historical features have been preserved from woodwork and beams dating back more than 600 years to the hotel’s elegant Georgianised Victorian sash windows. Behind the hotel’s Georgian façade lies a timber-framed building which likely dates from the second half of the 14th century. The first known reference to the property as an inn occurs in 1494, although the hotel’s extensive cellars are likely older and feature the ruins of an ancient Roman gravel pavement – a chilling reminder of Queen Boudicca’s rampage that burned Roman Colchester to the ground in AD60.
The exterior has been painted a beautiful and classic pale, sage green to meet historical guidelines for the Grade II* listed property.
The best of old and new
In January 2017, Harwich-based developer Flying Trade Group, behind the Surya Hotels brand, announced plans for refurbishment and expansion of The George Hotel site. Plans included the complete refurbishment of the 47-bedroom George Hotel and the conversion of nearby St Nicholas House into a brand-new affiliated 44-bedroom hotel. St Nicholas Hotel opened its doors in December 2018, almost doubling the High Street rooms available to 91.
The Grade II* listed George Hotel was in great need of modernisation, however; renovation work required the utmost care to protect the hotel’s rich history. Flying Trade CEO Suki Dulai says:
Surya Hotels
116 High Street Colchester Essex CO1 1TD
01206 578494 reservations@thegeorgehotelcolchester.co.uk
www.suryahotels.co.uk/thegeorgehotel/
HERITAGE DOUBLE THE GEORGE SUITE
“We are very excited to finally be opening the doors of The George once again. We feel greatly privileged to have been tasked with bringing this historic site into the 21st century while respecting its amazing heritage.
“Whilst we have brought the hotel back up to date with modern comforts, our focus has always been to retain the charm and ambience of this beautiful hotel and preserve the historical atmosphere of the building.
“As such, we have not made any major changes to the fundamental layout of the property, because we are limited by the building’s historic nature, however, we have certainly added a wow factor with décor and furnishings and greatly improved modern comforts throughout. A significant part of the project has been the re-wiring and re-plumbing of the entire hotel.” Suki adds: “We continue to invest heavily in Colchester with The George project along with St Nicholas House, Claudius Gateway and One Castle Park, with an emphasis on making the most of the town’s rich history.
“We have exposed the great history of The George, so customers can feel and appreciate the warmth and depth of its past, while also enjoying the comforts and convenience of modern life, from air-conditioning to WiFi and cappuccino.”
During the renovations Surya Hotels redistributed hotel staff across other local group sites. Many staff will now return to the site, led by The George Hotel General Manager Nick Wildman, who continues at the helm.
We catch up with Nick Wildman, General Manager of The George Hotel, as the monumental effort to transform the Colchester high street landmark draws to a close.
These are exciting times in the history of The George – tell us about the building’s past.
The central portion of the building is part of a 15th century house which was built some time before 1494. There are still parts of the original George which Thomas Jopson owned in 1494. On the second floor of the hotel, there is an original hinge post with remarkable embattled capital which is now incorporated into a wall and can be partially seen at the top of the stairs. This was part of the middle truss of the hall of the original house. On that same staircase, there is also a section of the wattle and daub wall dating from the 14th century. The extensive cellars are also medieval, probably dating from 1450. Some of the niches in the brickwork in these cellars are later, about 1520.
When did refurbishment start?
Work began in in July 2019, with the pandemic hitting halfway through the project. Not knowing the situation and how it would unfold, the site closed and all trades were postponed. When lockdown was lifted in July 2020, getting the trades back in was very challenging as many of them had gone to other building sites to continue working. We have worked closely with Colchester Borough Council, the local planning and listed building authority, to overcome challenges along the way.
What has the project involved and what are some of the highlight features?
The George has been part of a £10 million investment in the town centre over the last few years, including St Nicholas Hotel opposite which has 49 bedrooms. The interior design is by Jayne Nelson and the internal layout has been sympathetically improved while retaining the historical character of the building. Features include works by award-winning artists; there are murals designed by Lucy Tiffney and an ‘Instagrammable’ feature display by Alexandra Gallagher, plus London Art designer wallpapers and bespoke furniture made by Amor Interiors.
What have been some of the main challenges?
We had to retain and refurbish all of the traditional sash windows to a very high cost, and work with the listed building and heritage office to retain all the building features. Every room has bespoke furniture as all levels are out of place requiring a bespoke fit-out. We’ve created feature suites, replenished exposed beams, dealt with rotten windows and restored historic ones. We’ve also added air conditioning while avoiding historic fabric damage, and the car park has been resurfaced and made more secure.
How have lockdowns impacted the project?
The pandemic has impacted the project both in terms of contractors and supply of materials, with contractor’s costs and materials lead times all increasing. The logistics of narrow corridors within the building presented challenges with social distancing, and all the changes of lockdown and reopening phases. It all extended the project by another year.
What can guests look forward to when they step into The George?
The outside has been painted in a heritage sage green which has transformed the look of it.
All signage has been revamped and brass polished up, and outside doors painted an impressive glossy black. The interior design is just beautiful; there are stunning murals combined with feature fireplaces, old timber beams and historic features. We have a contemporary bar, lounge and restaurant with Moroccan accents, luxury bespoke furniture and rugs, and we’ve partnered with Bang & Olufsen to create high-end surround sound throughout the hotel.
