Hollywood star Robert De Niro has shelved plans to open an 83-bedroom boutique hotel in London. There would have been two restaurants, a spa and a member’s club too.
The Oscar-winning actor was due to open the hotel in busy Covent Garden after Westminster City Council granted planning permission for the development in 2016. We had expected an opening sometime next year. In fact, at one point there was talk of a launch date in 2018.
No longer. A spokesperson for Capco (the massive property developer involved in the venture – the others being De Niro and BD Hotels) said: “We have not reached satisfactory commercial terms with BD Hotels.
Plans cancelled
“The Wellington is a unique investment opportunity and we are reviewing our plans, which include proposals for office and retail space.”
While BD Hotels’ founder Ira Drukier told the Evening Standard “a changing economic picture” is to blame.
De Niro is no stranger to hotels. He already operates the Greenwich hotel in New York with partners Ira Drukier and BD Hotels’ Richard Born, as well as the two Nobu restaurants in London. We’re not massively keen on those.
The hotel would have been housed within the historic façade of six buildings set within Wellington, Tavistock, Burleigh and Exeter streets. Three of the properties are Grade II-listed.
