Hugh James has advised its long standing client the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) on a joint venture with Rightacres Properties and Legal & General which will transform two of Cardiff’s most iconic buildings into a luxury hotel.
The deal, which completed on Friday 15 March 2019, will see the former Post Office building and the adjacent former County Court building on Westgate Street undergo a significant transformation and will be known as the Westgate Hotel.
Hugh James has acted for the WRU for over a quarter of a century and a team from the firm’s property, corporate and construction departments has been working with the WRU on this deal over a period of months, led by Peter Hurn and Gareth Fortey (commercial property), Gerallt Jones (corporate) and Iwan Jenkins and Rob Williams (construction).
Peter Hurn, Partner and Head of Commercial Property said:
“Diversifying into the hotel market is a major, but natural, move for the WRU, especially given this location on the Stadium’s doorstep. This is excellent news for Cardiff where hotel accommodation of this calibre in such an iconic location will serve a ready, year-round market.”
The Westgate Hotel is in close proximity to both Principality Stadium and the 1.5 million sq ft Central Square regeneration project which includes Hugh James’s headquarters, Two Central Square.”
The development will restore, preserve and enhance the building’s historic features to include 175 bedrooms including fifteen VIP suites, two restaurants, a luxurious spa with a rooftop infinity spa pool, comprehensive meeting facilities and a ballroom for 400 guests.