Kirklees Council unable to confirm opening date for £20m George Hotel in Huddersfield

Originally, the planned opening date for the new Radisson RED hotel was late 2024, this then became the Winter of 2024/2025. The date has since been moved to Spring/Summer 2025, according to the council’s development partner on the project, Queensberry, earlier this year.

At the time, however, Kirklees Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that this was not the case and it was still planning to deliver the scheme by Winter 2024/25, but now, the local authority says it cannot confirm a date for reopening.

The council says this information can’t be provided while the design process is still ongoing and before the main contractor for the project has officially been secured.

Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance & Regeneration, said: “Right now we’re still in the design stages of the George Hotel’s development. Part of this process is stringently making sure we’re getting the best value for money, and delivering the greatest possible benefit to our local economy for the people of Kirklees. We know both these aspects matter more than ever right now, so we have to get it right.

“While initial Cabinet reports suggested working towards reopening of the George Hotel in late 2024, we won’t be able to confirm a date for the reopening until the design process is complete and we’ve officially secured the main contractor to deliver the work. However, we will share this timeline as soon as we can.”

When the George Hotel opens for business it will boast 91 modern rooms, a lounge, a 70-seater restaurant and bar. On top of this, there will be a large conference room on the lower ground floor and a 100-cover banqueting suite.

Planning permission was granted for the scheme in June and this allows for part of the hotel to be demolished to make way for an extension. The hotel’s historic façade will be preserved along John William Street but with a new structure replacing the existing internal structures behind it.