A new hotel planned for east London has united two disparate groups in opposition: the Victorian Society, and Hoxton hipsters.
The cylindrical, bronzed aluminium-covered behemoth, part of Park Plaza's idiotically-named "Art'otels" range but with a profile that should see it dubbed the Flip-Top Bin, is proposed for a site on the corner of Old Street and Great Eastern Road. For shame, say local alehounds, as the location is currently home to The Foundry. A group of concerned citizens have started a Save The Foundry campaign, calling for the bar to be re-homed.
The Victorian Society is also opposed to the hotel, albeit for different reasons. It argues that the 350-room, 18-storey structure is too tall for the area, and not in character with the South Shoreditch Conservation Area's "distinctive nineteenth-century industrial character". While those points are debatable — the junction is already surrounded by a modern hotel and a 70s tower block — their opposition to the design is justified: it's a ruddy ugly building, and would instantly replace the contraption atop Old Street roundabout as the local eyesore.
There's a full selection of planning application documents on Hackney council's website, and an area to leave a comment, including an option to support or object to the proposal.
