Council HQ set to be turned into hotel

A county hall in a city centre is set to be transformed into a "high quality hotel".

The headquarters of Oxfordshire County Council in Oxford is being sold as the authority prepares to move to its new home at Speedwell House in spring 2027.

The decision was rubber-stamped by cabinet members at a meeting on Tuesday.

The council received 19 bids for repurposing the building, with potential plans including proposals for offices, science labs, hotels and student accommodation.

The current building includes Old County Hall, which is Grade II* listed.

That dates back to 1841 and contains the council chamber and Oxfordshire's Coroner's Court.

"I'm really pleased that the two parts of County Hall are both going to be used," Dan Levy, the council's cabinet member for finance, told the BBC.

"I think people are going to be impressed by the access to the public and the really sympathetic use of the existing building."

Details of how much the council will gain from the sale, as well as the identity of the buyer, remain confidential as final talks are ongoing.

The authority plans to move to a revamped building it already owns near Oxford's magistrates' and crown courts.

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