Bournemouth Hotel School

The South West RDA and Bournemouth University in conjunction with the Bournemouth and Poole College and Bournemouth Borough Council are working together on a £40m project to create a new, high-quality, 4-star hotel school to take up to 60 student placements on an exciting new foundation degree course, as well as students on other hospitality courses. This will be the first fully commercial teaching hotel in the UK and a major educational innovation for the hotel industry. The hotel school together with the refurbishment of the adjoining Conference Centre will produce the most modern conferencing and hospitality complex in the UK and will build on Bournemouth's reputation as a national centre of excellence in hospitality training.  
 
The South West RDA has assembled the site for the project at a cost of just over £2m, and has provided support to develop the model for the training school. The South West RDA is also working to help lever-in private sector investment of up to £38m.  
 
During July 2005, a preferred developer was selected for the project. There was strong competition over a period of four months from four national developers to build the 4-star hotel and hotel school. Dawnay Day and the Paramount Group were chosen to develop and operate the hotel school as a fully commercial enterprise. Detailed negotiations are now underway and it is hoped that the hotel and school can open in 2008. 
 
The press release provides more information.