Disused Bristol hostel that was closed by fire service over safety concerns could become hotel

A disused hostel that was shut down by Avon Fire & Rescue Service amid safety concerns could be transformed into a three-star hotel.

The scheme is for the third and fourth storeys of The Old Port House, a city centre listed building at the corner of Prince Street and The Grove which dates from the early 1700s and played a part in Bristol’s tobacco industry and slave trade.

There is an Indian restaurant on the ground floor, Harbourside Desi Kitchen & Bar, while a hostel operates on the two storeys above it, neither of which would be affected. 

The fire service shut the hostel’s third and fourth storeys in 2019.

The new hotel would have 40 bedrooms, all en-suite, and remain separate from the existing hostel beneath it.

In the application, architects said: “The proposed layout has been designed to minimise the disruption to the listed building, whilst making necessary changes to comply with current fire regulations. 

“The third and fourth floors have been shut down by the fire [service] due to unsafe accommodation.”

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They said a fire consultant had been consulted throughout the design process to ensure the new layout met safety regulations.

A new lift would also be installed, replacing the existing dumbwaiter.

The developers have applied directly to the Planning Inspectorate to determine the project because the council’s planning department is in special measures.