Hotel opening marks milestone in city's revamp
The opening of a new hotel in the centre of Sheffield marks a "milestone" in a £470m regeneration scheme for the city.
The Radisson Blu hotel, on Pinstone Street, is part of the Heart of the City scheme.
The project has faced significant challenges and setbacks due to rising costs and the coronavirus pandemic.
The re-imagining of the city centre is a collaboration between Sheffield City Council and strategic development partner, Queensberry.
Andrew Davison, Heart of the City project director, said it had been an emotional process to see the 154-room hotel open.
“I just can’t believe we’ve done it. This is a major project, this is a major hotel.
"Sheffield is a major city and deserved to have a crowning glory."
Sean McClean, director of regeneration and development at Sheffield City Council, said: “The opening of the hotel is a significant milestone.
"I think it shows the wide range of facilities that Heart of the City has to offer, from Pounds Park, for families and kids to Cambridge Street Collective, and now this premium hotel to attract high quality visitors that want to come and stay in the city centre.”
The next step in the Heart of the City project is the completion of Leah’s Yard.
The council says the creative hub, which is set to be home to artist Pete McKee, is due to open by the end of the summer.
The hotel's general manager, Valerie Donaldson, said the international chain opening in Sheffield was a "major coup" for the city.
She said Sheffield-based designers had been used to add details to the décor to reflect the city and its heritage.
“The façade is the original part from the Victorian era and everything else has been dug out and completely reconstructed.
"We've tried to make the city alive within the building we’ve built and created."
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