A view of The Great Scotland Yard Hotel development. The 92,000sq ft 5-star hotel, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017, is situated within a magnificent refurbished Edwardian building at 1-5 Great Scotland Yard, the home of the original Scotland Yard Police and later the British Army Recruitment Office for Westminster.

LuLu Group International and London-based developer Galliard Homes have signed a £110mn ($171mn) agreement for the development of a bespoke 5-star hotel, The Great Scotland Yard.
The 92,000sq ft hotel is situated within a magnificent refurbished Edwardian building at 1-5 Great Scotland Yard, the home of the original Scotland Yard Police and later the British Army Recruitment Office for Westminster.
It is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017 and will employ up to 250 full-time staff. Construction on the site is now 30% complete with the interior fit-out scheduled to start in March 2016, LuLu Group said in a statement.
The Great Scotland Yard is the second investment by LuLu Group International managing director, Yusuffali MA, after East India Company last year.
Adeeb Ahmed, managing director of Twenty14 Holdings, the hospitality arm of Abu Dhabi-based retail major LuLu Group, said, “We are extremely pleased to have concluded this deal for the iconic Scotland Yard building.
“We have been actively evaluating investment opportunities that both grow our footprint and contribute to the further development of London and our interest in the iconic Great Scotland Yard is a step in that direction.”
Ahmed, who is also CEO of LuLu Exchange, added, “The Great Scotland Yard is really an important part of the fabric of London and it will be a great opportunity for us to be a part of the culture and legacy of this great city and help in its development.”
Don O’ Sullivan, managing director of Galliard Homes, said, “Galliard Homes is delighted to have reached an agreement with Lulu Group International to create a bespoke 5-star hotel in the heart of London’s Whitehall. The Great Scotland Yard Hotel will be a brand synonymous with exceptional service and refined luxury and quality.”
The iconic hotel will provide a mix of luxury bedrooms, restaurants, library, lobby/lounge and private meeting, entertaining and dining rooms complete with 24/7 concierge service. An adjoining Grade 2 Listed Victorian townhouse will be incorporated into the hotel and used to create a magnificent entertaining suite.
Once completed, the hotel will be seven storeys high with two basement levels. It will retain the grand Edwardian Imperial red brick and stone facade with arched main entrance, ornate pediment, and tall windows with feature brick and stone detailing. The interior design will be contemporary and stylish, providing a modern compliment to the Edwardian architecture.
The hotel site has a fascinating history. Between 1829 and 1890, Great Scotland Yard formed part of the headquarters of the newly-founded Metropolitan Police force. It was here that the famous Plaistow Marshes (1864) and Jack the Ripper (1888) crimes were investigated and Scotland Yard was made famous by novelists, including Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
In 1910, the current Edwardian building was constructed on the site and served as the British Army Recruitment Office and Royal Military Police headquarters. It is here that Lord Kitchener famously told World War I recruits, “Your country needs you.” In 1982, a refurbishment introduced a new atrium and the building later became the Ministry of Defence Library until 2004.
Twenty14 Holdings is the newly-set up hospitality arm of LuLu Group International, focusing on acquisition and management of assets around the globe. It has more than 1bn UAE dirhams worth of assets in the Middle East, UK, and India.
The company is currently working on setting up its newly-acquired property at Business Bay in Dubai, slated to open in October 2015, and also jointly owns the Sheraton Oman Hotel in Muscat with Al Hashar Hotels, a 230-key five-star architectural marvel, which is currently under renovation.



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