Plans submitted to turn old Chester bingo hall into world-leading hotel
A planning application has been submitted to transform the former Mecca Bingo Hall adjacent to St Oswald’s Way near to Chester station into a 142-bedroom hotel.
Hotel Chester will boast standard and deluxe rooms over seven storeys and run by a world-leading hotel operator, which is not being named.
The scheme will also feature 748 sq m of serviced office space within a retained part of the development fronting Brookdale Place.
Developer TAG plans to retain the iconic mock-Tudor frontage and demolish the rear of the building, which will be replaced with an exciting new piece of architecture that reflects the city’s history.
The site by the Shropshire Union Canal lies within the ‘Chester City Gateway’ area and is a 5-minute walk from the train station.
The footprint of the building will be reduced and stepped back from the Shropshire Union Canal – improving the public realm and offering the opportunity for a new tree-lined canal side route for cyclists and pedestrians.
The submission of the proposals follows a public consultation which ended on December 15 2023 in which the developer pledged to create as many as 110 full-time jobs during construction, with around 80 jobs available when operational.
Luke Averill, director of TAG, said: “Designs for Hotel Chester have been inspired by the city’s history and reflect Cheshire West and Chester Council’s ambition to support the growth of the area’s visitor and business economy.
“Rejuvenation in this part of Chester is much-needed and we believe Hotel Chester will act as a catalyst for exactly this.”
He added: “Guests staying at the hotel will create additional demand for local shops, restaurants, bars and other attractions, which we estimate could boost the local economy by £2.3m every year.”
The former Mecca Bingo site dates back to 1931 and was originally home to The Gaumont cinema before becoming a bowling alley in the 1960s and a bingo hall in 1970, which closed earlier this year.
TAG Chester says there will be a 100% biodiversity net gain and the sustainable modern hotel will be built to achieve BREEAM Excellent standards.
A decision is expected in Q2 2024 with completion of the project expected in late 2026 should plans be approved.
Consultants on the scheme include DAY Architectural, Zerum, Adept Consulting Engineers, Futureserv, Donald Insall Associates, Orion Fire Heritage, TPM Landscape, Arbtech, Redmore Environmental, Element Sustainability and NoiseAir.
