Premier Inn want to build two floors of bedrooms along their Euston Road site, with an additional seven floors stretching into the rear car park.
We received a talk and presentation from the team managing the proposed development to the Premier Inn London Euston hotel.
Whitbread, the company that owns Premier Inn, told us:
They want another 67 bedrooms, with a 250 seat restaurant.
They want to add two floors to the Euston Road side, and build a 7 floor annex in the carpark.
They think the development will take 1 year 3 months (65 weeks)
Planning applications are imminent to Camden Council.
We’ve since held an on-site meeting with Whitbread’s project managers in the carpark to raise current on-going concerns over fire safety, health & safety, right of access and logistics.
We said that these issues have been ongoing for several years, and show no signs of abating. We asked why things would be better in the future but did not receive solid answers.
SHRA met with David McKenna and Alison Forrester from TFL, Louise McBride from Camden Council and the Premier Inn area manager to discuss the dangerous junction at Duke’s Road, Euston and Road and Churchway; and HGV deliveries to the Premier Inn and Costa Coffee Euston.
SHRA had raised concerns about large single crewed HGV’s reversing into and out of Duke’s Road, reversing across a footway on blind corner beside The Place dance school, and making multi point turns across St Pancras Churchyard.
At the meeting on 21/09/2017, held on Duke’s Road, TFL reiterated no unloading at any time on the red route. Camden reiterated no unloading at any time on double yellow lines and kerb markings.
TFL said they are planning to install a pedestrian crossing at the Duke’s Road / Euston Road junction within the next five years.
Camden said they will repaint the double yellow lines and kerb markings and will monitor the situation.
Since the August meeting, Camden Council have repainted one side of Duke’s Road double yellow lines and kerb markings.
Premier Inn and Costa Coffee Euston HGV deliveries continue to needlessly and dangerously reverse in to and out of Duke’s Road.
Somerton House Residents’ Association are saddened there was a fatality on Duke’s Road this morning. Our thoughts are with those bereaving a tragic loss.
Somerton House flats, above the Premier Travel Inn Euston hotel
Premier Inn’s Chief Operating Officer has told us the cladding on the Euston hotel below Somerton House is not combustible. We also have reassurances that outstanding lighting and stairwell issues raised will be addressed.
Camden Council will be fitting new fire doors in the coming weeks, the contracts manager is aware of outstanding shared lighting and stairwell issues.
UPDATE: 7th JUNE 2019
Camden Council have informed SHRA they are unsure if the cladding attached to Somerton House is fire safe.
Camden will be inspecting/investigating the external cladding on the 12th of June with a team of abseilers. Waits who are currently carrying out fire safety works on behalf of Camden in the building will be facilitating these inspection works.
SHRA have also contacted Premier Inn’s COO Simon, and Property Management Company Gerald Eve’s Partner James requesting appropriate reassurances/action that the buildings cladding is fire safe.
Camden Council has granted an outdoor drinking licence to the hotel underneath Somerton House.
Somerton House residents fear they will have to walk past drunken revelers to get to their front door up until 10’o’clock every night. They are unhappy that in front of their homes there is now a large beer garden.
Twelve separate objections from local residents were lodged, but the licensing panel were swayed by the professional arguments of Premier Inn’s solicitor.
Two local residents addressed the committee highlighting issues such as:
The Premier Inn’s history of unresponsiveness to concerns raised by local residents; they sited an ongoing five-year battle against a noisy air conditioning unit installed without planning permission as evidence.
The Premier Inn’s inability to police it’s currently licence arrangements, pointing out that outdoor drinking has been a daily occurrence during the recent hot weather
The detrimental effect the noise of outside drinking would have on residents’ wellbeing, adding as it does to the barrage of other noises that the hotel creates.
Residents are disappointed that none of their concerns were taken on board by the Licencing Committee. Many residents of Somerton House are Council tenants with specific health needs that will not be helped by this additional imposition on their lives. We feel the Council is once again failing in it’s duty of care to Safeguard vulnerable residents.
The Premier Inn’s solicitor’s statement centred around the fact that his client’s hotel was a “premium product” and they would not permit anything to damage the brand’s reputation. This assertion was clearly accepted by the Committee despite the fact that residents had highlighted numerous examples of the Travel Inn’s less than premium conduct.
Procedural anomalies
The Committee members were not acquainted with the unique overlapping layouts of Somerton House and the Premier Inn, and all present agreed that the diagram provided was insufficient to accurately convey the full impact their decision will have. Indeed, Travel Inn solicitor John Gaunt himself had to apologise to the committee for mistakenly misrepresenting the layout of the premises.
The Licencing Committee representative seemed unaware of the ongoing investigation underway by his own department into breaches of the current licence, so this fact was disregarded.
Residents believe these two pieces of evidence would have a profound impact on the decision and are of the opinion that the Council should have ensured these points were presented to the committee.
Drinks on pavement
Somerton House Residents’ Association Chair corrected John Gaunt’s assertion that no open drink containers would be taken onto the public footpath. In fact the largest of the two drinking areas can only be accessed via the public footpath. Residents are very concerned that this fact will inevitably lead to groups of drinkers blocking the pavement and causing a nuisance.
The Chair asked if a site visit was possible. The panel said this was possible under the rules. We have since noted on the Camden Website that adjournments for site visits are possible.
Some minor conditions were added to the license:
there is to be absolutely no drinking on the pavement outside
there should be frequent litter picks and glass collection.
residents will be given a number to call if they have issues (020 7554 3400)
a nominated employee will be responsible for policing the outside areas at all times
Residents returning home after the hearing were greeted with the unpleasant site of beer glasses full of cigarette butts uncollected on a table outside the Premier Inn. We remain concerned that this represents the hotel’s real commitment to our local neighbourhood.
We are disappointed that the Council has again chosen to put the financial interests of a large business above the welfare of it’s own residents.
Whitbread have made a licensing application to allow extended times and outdoor drinking at the Premier Inn London Euston.
Residents of Somerton House, and other local parties who feel that they wish to respond to this application can make a representation online at the Camden Website. The closing date for representations is Tuesday 25th May 2010.
The new license application would allow alcohol to be consumed both inside and outside until 1am, every night.
The new license would also allow for both recorded and live music to be played.
SHTA met the Whitbread group with the help of Ward Councillor Jonathan Simpson, to discuss issues which have arose recently. The first meeting was positive, and it was accepted that some problems have been ongoing for some time, and some have arose since the hotel’s extension works.
The hotel put procedures in place to make use of the car park and access ramp safer for all of us, and to manage delivery vehicles. Gerald Eve, Whitbread Group’s property consultant, is arranging an enclosure for the roof mounted air conditioning units. Unfortunately this needs planning permission, and there doesn’t appear to be a fast track process available.
Noise from the kitchen extractor vent, which can be quite loud in residents’ bedrooms, is being investigated. In the meantime the hotel have pledged to ensure the vent is switched off between 11:30 PM and 04:45 AM – though their timer appears to be faulty. If the noise from the kitchen vent is a nuisance to you, call Premier Inn London Euston Reception on 020 7554 3400 and ask them to switch it off, politely.
A meeting is being arranged for residents to voice their issues over noise coming into their flats.
SHTA will meet representatives of Premier Inn on Monday, 1st April, with an aim to resolve long-standing issues which have been detrimental to Somerton House residents for quite some time.
Issues on the agenda mainly focus around noise – whether it be from the air conditioning equipment on the roof, the kitchen extractor fans beneath us, the garbage compactor, recycling or deliveries.
SHTA will also touch on several Health & Safety issues which have been going on for far too long – such as large delivery wagons reversing down and then blocking our access ramp. We know the outside drinking can be a problem during the summer months too.
If the way Premier Inn, Costa Coffee or No. 1 Duke’s Road, which are all owned by the large corporation Whitbread, cause your home life detriment, and you are a Somerton House resident or live in the local area, please let us know by leaving a comment below, we’ll raise issues you’re concerned about.
Also at the meeting will be Gerald Eve, representing Whitbread’s property portfolio, and Councillor Jonathan Simpson.
SHTA has contacted the Whitbread group on many occasions, and given the group extended the Premier Inn hotel at London Euston some years ago, issues have dragged on for quite so long that we’ve taken official steps to try to force Whitbread to remedy the situation. This includes speaking to the lisensing, planning, environment and health & safety departments of the Council regarding the day-to-day running of the Hotel cum coffee shop and bar, as well as the London Fire Brigade over serious fire safety concerns we share.
We’re used to living in the centre of such a big and vibrant city, and we know all too well how noisy, and intrusive living in such a unique area can be. We also take the area, the historical importance of it, and the times where we can rest and recuperate, very seriously indeed!
The date? No, we’re not giving you an April Fool early. We really are meeting with them, after all this time!
SHTA has made positive steps in addressing the noise pollution issues arising from the Permier Inn London Euston.
A filter has been installed on the extractor fan limiting some of the noise emanating from the car park level.
Permier Inn staff have been instructed not to operate the garbage crusher after 8pm.
Despite numerous requests from SHTA and the hotel management the Sunlight delivery company continues to wake residents at unreasonable hours and block the communal driveway with their noisy vans. We are talking to Sunlight laundry services and hope to make progress regarding this matter very soon.
Whitbread plc, which owns Premier Inn, employs Gerald Eve as property consultant and management company. We are expecting a representative to meet us very soon to discuss several issues:
Costa Coffee’s use of the front access ramp – including the partition section removed to give customers and staff a short-cut.
The lack of acoustic shielding around the roof and kitchen air conditioning plant
The use of the communal drive as a loading bay and blocking access to emergency vehicles.
Gerald Eve really need to act soon, to resolve these issues, thereby improving the quality of life for all residents of Somerton House
At a recent meeting with hotel manager Stephen Luck and the hotel Housekeeping Manager, SHTA was assured that the Somerton House sign will be repositioned shortly. It is currently obscured by the Costa Coffee awning and large umbrellas, Mr Luck has very recently apologised for the inconvenience this is causing residents over the last eighteen months or so.
Latest Updates on progress are posted at ‘Exit Gate Locked for Safety’ in Communal Living and News.
Earlier today we met a representative of KHK Group, the construction consultancy dealing with the conversion of the Travel Inn hotel’s disused petrol station on Euston Road. Their objective is to convert the space into new bedrooms for the hotel, in time for Christmas.
It is very bad that we were not consulted as a building prior to the building work commencing, and we have ensured that all parties involved are aware that we have had no consultation, to which we were entitled, and no advance warning of a meaningful type.
Between us, we have agreed the following:
That noisy working hours would be Monday to Friday from 09.00 until 17.00
That there would be no weekend work, provided that the works kept to schedule, if over schedule that a review would be held with consideration towards the local residents.
That a schedule of works was posted on the notice board two weeks in advance showing what works where about to start giving residents time to prepare of the disturbance and to know how long this disturbance would last. ( this will be posted and emailed to the TRA )
That the pile driving would be screwed in rather than hammered, to reduce the noise levels.
That should there be excessive wind for a sustained time, that was carrying dust and debris toward Somerton House that a review of said works would be carried out, to abate this.
That a contact point with the builders is achieved. i.e contact number for the site foreman etc.
That once during and again on completion of works, that the windows, frames and grey panelling of SH will be washed down and cleaned.
That a written apology is requested from Travel Inn/Whitbread, to the residents of SH for lack of consultation.
That the builders would be considerate towards the local residents.
That communication between parties would be updated minimum of every two weeks.
If you have any further concerns or queries, please email our Secretary.
Or you may write to: Somerton House Tenant’s Association, The Tenants’ Room, 6th Floor, Somerton House, Dukes Road, London WC1H 9AA
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