Oxford News
New ‘capsule’ hotel plan for Oxford Five Guys building
Criterion Capital’s Zedwell hotel chain has announced plans to open a hotel in the centre of Oxford as part of a UK-wide expansion.
According to Property Week, Zedwell will convert the 22,000 sq ft, six-storey, Oxenford House at 13-15 Magdalen Street into a hotel.
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The building, which has Five Guys restaurant on the ground floor, is close to tourist attractions including the Ashmolean Museum. The luxury Randolph Hotel is nearby.
According to Property Week, the plans follow Zedwell’s opening of the ‘world’s largest capsule hotel in Piccadilly Circus and the opening of Zedwell Underground Park Lane – the brand’s second subterranean hotel in the UK.
Halima Aziz, head of hotels at Zedwell, said: “Oxford is one of the world’s most iconic and culturally rich cities, making it a natural fit for Zedwell as we continue to scale up across the UK.
“With a current and committed pipeline of more than 9,000 rooms by 2028, Zedwell is gaining powerful momentum across key urban destinations. We look forward to introducing our unique guest experience to Oxford and welcoming travellers from around the world.”
In 2023, plans were put forward for the first to fourth floors and part of the basement and ground floor to provide 55 en-suite student rooms.
Planning consultants Bidwells put the application forward on behalf of Croudace Properties.
The owners also planned a roof extension to the front elevation above the fourth floor and a two-storey roof extension to the rear elevation above the third floor.
At the same time, a planning application was submitted by the owners for a change of use from educational facilities to office accommodation.
The planning application said at the time: “It is noted this planning application is being submitted in tandem with a separate planning application for the change of use of Oxenford House to student accommodation.
“This twin-tracked approach has been adopted to ensure the applicant has complete flexibility in respect to the building’s future use and to meet market demand.”
Now it appears that the 2023 plans are being replaced by the latest plans for the boutique ‘capsule’ hotel.
City councillor Susanna Pressel said: “We were expecting this building to become yet more student accommodation, but actually I think a reasonably priced hotel would be better for the city.
“We are told that there is a big demand for more hotel rooms, in spite of some recent new hotels.
“At present, too many tourists are day-trippers and the city would gain more if they stayed overnight: they would spend more, which would create more jobs.”
The Zedwell chain offers “a simple, smart, and affordable way to rest, and your own cosy space to recharge, right in the centre of the action that is budget friendly”.
Individual sleeping capsules offer you your own private space within a shared dormitory, according to the chain.
It says: “Meet like-minded travellers in the lounge, then slip back into your capsule when you’re ready to unwind. It’s your space to switch off, rest, and recharge. Here you don’t need more, just what matters.”
It is not yet known if the Five Guys restaurant would remain once the new hotel opens.
Boutique hotel The Store hotel opened in May, 2024, on the site of the former Bosewells department store.
The hotel on the corner of Cornmarket Street and Broad Street is renowned for its fine dining Treadwell restaurant and rooftop bar.
There are also plans for an 145-room aparthotel and community hub on the site of the former Odeon Cinema in George Street.
Uma Ali Sheikh has been named and shamed by the government in a new list published by the government department.
Information is published by the agency when a person or business has made at least one deliberate default on more than £25,000, according to HMRC.
The list is updated every three months before the information is removed after a year.
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Uma Ali Sheikh was investigated by HMRC and charged a penalty for either deliberate errors in his tax returns or a deliberate failure to notify a liability to tax.
The 50-year-old is listed as being a landlord based at Apt 4604, The Torch Tower, Al Sharta Street, Dubai Marina in Dubai.
HMRC says that between April 6, 2014 and April 5, 2019, he did not pay £261,252 worth of tax.
He subsequently paid a penalty worth £137,333.77.
His nationality is listed on Companies House as being British, meaning he is an expat.
Thames Valley Police had been investigating a report that a man committed indecent exposure at around 3pm on August 29 in Headington.
The incident happened in Cox’s Aly near the junction of Gladstone Road.
The offender was last seen walking towards Gladstone Road and is described by police as white, slim and around 5ft 10ins tall.
He had a baggy royal blue tracksuit on – with white stripes running up the sides – and has fair hair, police said in an earlier appeal.
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Police had issued an appeal at the time of the offence looking for witnesses or people with information.
However, seven months later, not enough evidence has been provided to find the culprit.
A police spokeswoman said on Monday morning (March 30): “This case has been filed, pending further information coming to light.”
Indecent exposure, a sexual offence, can see a punishment of up to six months in prison or a fine imposed by the court.
Offenders can also be put on the sex offenders register list, but in most cases this is if the victim is under 18 years of age.
Depending on its seriousness, cases can go to trial in crown court.
Police constable Edward O’Reilly previously said: “If anyone has any further information and witnessed this incident, we would also ask them to get in touch.
“If you have information, please call 101 quoting the reference 43250442508 or you can provide information on the online reporting pages.”
Food, beer and flower stalls attracted lots of shoppers to the Market Place on Saturday.
The local excellence market is held about six times a year, running alongside the regular Monday market.
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Among traders selling to shoppers were Abingdon Distillery, food and drink supplier Barbury Hill from Steventon, Natural Bread Company in Oxford, and Authentic Desi Food from Oxford.
The town council said in a statement: “Local excellence is a market at which local food producers, craft workers and retailers sell their goods in Abingdon Market Place.
“The market gives Abingdon shoppers the chance to sample foods, beers and crafts from Oxfordshire and nearby.
“The market starts at 9am and finishes at 2pm, sometimes later.
“Held on occasional Saturdays through the year, it is very popular with people who are at work all week and miss out on our weekly markets on Monday, or the local farmers’ market on the third Friday in the month.”
Rachel, who works at Abingdon Distillery, said it was a big year for the company as it looks forward to its Single Malt Oxfordshire Whisky going on sale in the autumn.
The next local excellent market is expected to take place on Saturday, May 30.
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