Iconic town centre hotel to receive £750,000 facelift
Work on the ground floors of The Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds has begun Picture: THE ANGEL HOTEL - Credit: Archant
An iconic hotel in the centre of Bury St Edmunds will close its ground floors for the first time in 50 years for an extensive £750,000 refurbishment.
Work on the ground floors of The Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds has begun Picture: THE ANGEL HOTEL - Credit: Archant
Work on The Angel Hotel, famed for its association with writer Charles Dickens, who stayed there three times in the 19th century, will start today.
The Angel Hill hotel’s ground floors, including the reception, bar, brasserie, restaurant and lounge, will be closed while the facelift takes place.
The new look and feel of The Angel is expected to draw on the building’s Georgian roots, notable characters from its past and local history, while also incorporating modern twists and comforts.
The hotel will also hit the big screen this year after scenes for The Personal History of David Copperfield, featuring Dev Patel, Peter Capaldi and Tilda Swinton, were filmed on Angel Hill in July last year.
A host of coaches and horses recreated the bustling streets of London on Angel Hill as Armando Iannucci filmed his new comedy drama The Personal History of David Copperfield in July 2018 Picture: NEIL PERRY - Credit: Archant
The movie is set to be released this year.
MORE: Film turns back time as Bury’s Angel Hill returns to its Victorian heydayRobert Gough, owner of Gough Hotels, said: “The Angel plays a big part in the history of Bury St Edmunds, it’s iconic.
“But we did think it was time for a little bit of a facelift.
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“Our plans for the refurbishment draw inspiration from the past, with a small nod to Charles Dickens, who mentioned The Angel in The Pickwick Papers and stayed in this very building.
A number of scenes for a new star-studded David Copperfield film featuring Dev Patel, Peter Capaldi, Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie were shot on the Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds in July 2018 Picture: NAOMI WILLCOX - Credit: Archant
“We want to make sure our new look-and-feel has something for everyone as we continue to welcome friends of The Angel both old and new.”
MORE: Famous writer’s connection with town is celebratedMr Gough added that the hotel will be adding a head chef to its staff.
“It’s going to be a period of change, but we look forward to bringing the character of the building, and those who have visited, to life,” he said.
“We will also be appointing a head chef to join the team who will bring their own unique personality to the menu which will focus on seasonality and provenance.
“In the bar, our fantastic team will also be creating a new cocktail menu making sure there’s a tasty tipple suitable for everyone.”
The refurbishment began on Wednesday with plans to relaunch in spring this year.
During this time, the hotel will be offering a breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner service in a temporary location in the building, and rooms will be available as normal.Bookings can be made by calling 01284 714000 or visiting www.theangel.co.uk
