Historic hotel building ‘will be brought back to life’ by renovation

Review Hotels bought the historic Rutland Arms Hotel in Newmarket's High Street in March 2018 and have since been working on "extensive" plans to restore, renovate and refurbish the 17th-century building.

The newly-approved plans include enhancing the main building and renovating the adjacent annexe, which will house additional luxury bedrooms, meeting rooms and conference rooms for guests.

The refurbishment will include a new restaurant and state-of-the-art kitchen in the main building, as well as a redesigned interior to enhance the existing characteristics of the hotel, such as decorative ceilings, intricate fire places and stained-glass windows.

Noel Byrne, chief executive at the Rutland Arms Hotel and Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, said: "We are ecstatic to have received planning permission to proceed with the redevelopment of Rutland Arms Hotel.

"Standing prominently at the top of Newmarket High Street, the hotel is one of the most iconic buildings in the town and we are very excited to proceed with its transformation. Our plans will harness the rich history of the property, restoring it to its former glory."

Established in 1981, Review Hotels is owned by the Kean family.

Mike Kean, director, Review Hotel, said: "Rutland Arms Hotel is an incredibly exciting project and we are thrilled to have reached this major milestone with planning permission.

"All plans have been designed to ensure that the hotel is brought back to life, whilst being sympathetic to its original heritage.

"This is a significant investment for us, and we are committed to creating a hotel that will be a place for both local community and visitors to enjoy for the long-term."

Now that the proposed plans have been approved, Review Hotels will proceed to the design stage of the redevelopment.

It is expected that the project will be completed by the end of 2021.

Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa is four red-star rated.