The historic Grand Hotel on Barras Bridge is to benefit from a major refurbishment by Newcastle University to improve the accommodation on offer to students.

Built in 1902 the Grade II listed hotel  was bought by the University in 1958 to accommodate students from across the globe.

The University’s £2.5m investment will see a major upgrade of rooms and improvements to make it more environmentally-friendly. It will also increase the number of rooms from 48 to 66 en-suite rooms and while the revamp will focus on the interior of the building, its Victorian facade will remain unchanged.

The scheme is part of an on-going investment by Newcastle University in improving its campus for students, staff and visitors.  Also taking shape are improvements to the famous University ‘Arches’ and the completion of a new Student Forum - an open, landscaped area with seating and iconic ‘head’ sculptures.

The revamped Grand Hotel will further improve the frontage of Percy Street which now features the university’s new INTO Building with its striking brass cut-out screen facade. Opened in September, the INTO building is now home to 600 international students  and features science labs, a Learning Resource Centre, a 90-seat lecture theatre and a café.

The University’s Council approved the Grand Hotel investment. Mark I’Anson, Chair of Council, said: “We recognise that quality accommodation is an important part of the overall student experience we offer at Newcastle that’s why we are continuing to invest in the range and quality of our residences.

“Creating a campus that can be enjoyed by staff, students and visitors alike is also a key priority for the University, particularly when it is so central to the city. Improvements such as the Student Forum, the refurbishment of the Students’ Union building and the upgrade of the Grand Hotel are all aimed at enriching the student experience and developing a campus of which we can all be proud.”

Work on the Grand Hotel is expected to start in January, with completion in late 2013.

published on: 10 December 2012