Oxford's newest hotel, which will replace historic department store Boswells, is on schedule to open in 'late summer'.
Reef, working with contractors Gilbert-Ash, is converting the former department store on the corner of Broad Street and Cornmarket into a 101-bedroom boutique hotel and work is close to completion.
Shoppers were shocked when Boswells in Cornmarket shut for good in 2020 and then Debenhams also closed.
READ AGAIN: Boswells in Oxford is to close
The store has now been demolished with the hotel interior built in its place.
The hotel group said in its latest statement that it is not expecting any delays.
The statement said: "Reef Group are excited to confirm that The Store Hotel, opening on the site of Oxford’s Boswell’s Department Store, remains on schedule for a late summer opening in 2023.
"The Store, Oxford will be an inviting independent hotel with 101 rooms, an expansive bar, restaurant, restorative spa, co-working area, a rooftop terrace and bar and plenty of spaces to discover and explore for local residents and visitors to the city."
Eleanor Alexander, design director at Reef Group said: “We are working with contractors Gilbert Ash on this project who are doing great work on this sensitive refurbishment of this much-loved building at the heart of the city of Oxford.
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"We look forward to opening our doors and welcome those from Oxford and the surrounding area soon, as well as guests from much further afield."
The entrance to The Store will be on Broad Street.
The opening of the hotel will be a boost for Cornmarket, which has suffered from a growing number of empty retail units at the George Street end.
Oxford's Fair Trade shop in Cornmarket Street shut its doors earlier this year after trading for 20 years in a basement next to St Michael at the North Gate.
Directors took the decision to close the store selling Fair Trade goods 'with heavy hearts' after sales and footfall failed to return to pre-pandemic levels.
They claimed central Oxford was no longer a 'destination of choice' following the relaunch of the Westgate Centre in 2017.
The Cheng Yu Tung building, the new student accommodation and digital hub for Jesus College, has boosted the centre of the street.
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It took several years to construct the new building after demolishing the former Northgate House.
HSBC Bank is expected to move there from Carfax, together with restaurant chain Cosy Club.
But the former NatWest building on the corner of George Street and Cornmarket remains empty, together with the former Burger King unit.
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Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
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