Landmarks could go in Piccadilly redevelopment

A massive redevelopment of London's Piccadilly area could signal the disappearance of Le Méridien's Café Royal and the Regent Palace hotel.

Crown Estate, which owns the property along Regent Street from Portland Place to Piccadilly Circus, plans a £500m redevelopment on Regent Street that is likely to see the conversion of the 900-bedroom Regent Palace hotel into an office block and the Café Royal into a five-star hotel with retail space.

The bottom three floors of the Café Royal would be used for retail space, with a five-storey, 150-bedroom hotel constructed on top.

Crown Estate said that some of the function suites of the Café Royal would be used in the hotel, and a health and beauty spa and cocktail bar with views over St James's Park would also be added to the building.

A spokeswoman for Le Méridien said the group had recently re-signed the lease on the Café Royal, to run until 2010. She added that the group was "very supportive" of Crown Estate's intentions to "radically improve this important area of the capital".

Planning permission for the project is yet to be granted. Conservationists oppose the redevelopment plans, particularly the conversion of the Regent Palace hotel.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 22 - 28 April 2004