BRM advise Reef Origin in the development of The Store hotel in Oxford
We’re delighted to have acted as the legal advisor to Reef Origin in the site acquisition, funding, construction and development delivery of an historic department store building in Oxford as the newly opened hotel, The Store.
The new hotel, which boasts 101 bedrooms and features a rooftop bar, terrace, spa and restaurant, is a partnership between London-based Reef Origin and EQ Group.
The Store hotel is located in the old Boswell & Co building, which traded as the city’s largest department store for more than 250 years before closing in 2020.
Led by BRM Executive Director Adrian Sheehan, Executive Director Sarah Rowland, Director James Alger and Senior Associate Solicitor Chris Hey, the firm’s Real Estate and Construction teams advised Reef Origin in the acquisition of the historic Boswell & Co building, development funding and the construction for delivery to The Store.
Piers Slater, Chief Executive at Reef Origin, said: “The Store hotel has been an exciting opportunity to repurpose the renowned Boswell’s department store. The building was home to the largest independently run department store in Oxford and this change of use has been carefully curated.
“We have ensured a sensitive refurbishment and extension of the existing buildings to allow the creation of the new 4* hotel.
“The hotel also boasts an active ground floor that uses the streetscape on Broad Street and Cornmarket Street to help provide a positive contribution to the wider area and the economy of the City of Oxford.
“We would like to thank the team at BRM for their first-class advice, guidance and support in the whole process.
“Their expertise helped us in securing and developing the site and we’re now looking forward to The Store welcoming guests to become part of the future of this historic building.”
Adrian Sheehan, Executive Director at BRM, said: “It has been a pleasure to advise the team at Reef Origin in the acquisition and development of the old Boswells Department Store building.
“The Store hotel is simply outstanding, and we would like to congratulate Reef Origin on yet another successful regeneration project that will make a real economic difference in the heart of Oxford.”
Simon Drake, general manager of The Store, said: “The legacy of Boswells would continue to play an important role. Reflecting the history of the site was very important. The restaurant is named after Treadwell Passage, which was one of the oldest Victorian streets in the city. We wanted to ensure that we speak back to that heritage as much as possible.”
The Store (photo credit The Store Oxford)
