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Original Scotland Yard to become 5-star hotel

The original Scotland Yard police station at London’s Whitehall is going to become a luxury hotel in 2016 after local property developer Galliard Group acquired a 125-year lease on the building, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The famous address was used by police from 1829 until 1890 and was famous for investigating notorious criminals such as Jack the Ripper, and was featured in Charles Dickens’s novels and Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series.

The new £100million (US$163 million) Great Scotland Yard will feature 235 rooms, grand VIP suites, a grand entrance foyer, winter garden lounge, a restaurant, a cocktail bar, a library, a 120-seater main conference room, a ballroom and private dining rooms.

Stephen Conway, chief executive of Galliard Group said, “It really is a blue-chip building with grand architecture, a fascinating history and large dramatic interiors.”

Don O’ Sullivan, managing director of Galliard Group added, “We want to create a world-class hotel of the quality of The Mercer or the Chateau Marmont, a place renowned for exceptional service, destination dining and leisure and outstanding luxury and quality.”

The current Edwardian building was constructed on the site in 1910 and served as the British Army Recruitment Office and Royal Military Police headquarters. In 1982, a refurbishment introduced a new atrium and the building later became the Ministry of Defense Library until 2004. It has most recently been used a storage base for the ministry.

This move marks another in a line of government buildings turning into hotels. The Corinthia Hotel was once a government building and Admiralty Arch is being converted into a hotel and residences.

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