Helmont House
| Helmont House | |
|---|---|
 Helmont House | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel and Offices |
| Location |  Cardiff, Wales |
| Address | Churchill Way, Cardiff city centre CF10 2NB |
| Coordinates | 51°28′52″N 3°10′16″W / 51.481°N 3.171°W |
| Current tenants | Premier Inn Meltwater Group NewLaw Legal Ltd T/A NewLaw Solicitors Quote Exchange Ltd Horwich Farrelly Solicitors, Cardiff. |
| Completed | 1984 |
| Owner | Rightacres |
| Height | 58 metres (190 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Floor area | 155,000 sq ft (14,400 m2) |
Helmont House is a high-rise hotel and office tower in Cardiff, Wales. Completed in 1984, the 58-metre-high (190 ft) building has 12 floors and is the tenth tallest building in Cardiff. The building was renovated in 2009 into a 200-room Premier Inn hotel.
The building was previously occupied by British Gas and was one of the largest office buildings in Cardiff, and is yards away from Cardiff Queen Street railway station.[1]
History
When British Gas was privatised in 1986, fewer than 600 people were employed in the Cardiff office. In 1998 the Cardiff regional headquarters became the National Sales Centre for Britain. Prior to relocation, 2,400 people were employed at Helmont House, two thirds of which were call centre staff, with a further 800 working in the field.[2]
In 2009 the building’s occupier, British Gas, relocated its Wales headquarters to a new 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) office site at the nearby Callaghan Square, in the south of Cardiff city centre. Helmont House was acquired by Rightacres at a value worth more than £10m,[1] who also acquired Holland House from Lloyds TSB which was converted into a Mercure Hotel.
The building was renovated in 2009 into a 200-room Premier Inn hotel on a 25-year lease after a wide range search by the company for a location in central Cardiff. In terms of beds, the hotel is the largest in the capital.[3]
60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) of Helmont House remains dedicated to office space,[4] 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m2) of which is let to law firm NewLaw Legal Ltd T/A NewLaw Solicitors.[5]
The building featured in episodes of Doctor Who ("Partners in Crime") and Torchwood in 2007. Both series are filmed and produced in Cardiff[6][7]
Architecture
The angular look of Helmont House was inspired by the Cubism art movement which was dominated by artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.[8]
Hotel facilities
Following the complete refurbishment of the building, the hotel has air conditioned guest rooms with en-suite bathrooms. WiFi Internet access is available. The restaurant serves traditional and contemporary dishes and there is a branch of Costa Coffee on the premises. Meeting rooms are available.[9]
Location
Helmont House is in close proximity to the main shopping areas including Queen Street and St David's. Cardiff Queen Street railway station is within a short walk, as are the Cardiff Central Bus and Railway Stations.[10] The building is one of the closest hotels to the Cardiff International Arena.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b WalesOnline | Office purchase adds acres of space to firm’s portfolio
- ^ Corporate Wales | Energy
- ^ WalesOnline | Capital joins the Premier league
- ^ Rightacres | Helmont House
- ^ Property Week | Rightacres fires up Cardiff's biggest hotel
- ^ Doctor Who Locations | Helmont House
- ^ Torchwood Locations | Episode 201
- ^ BBC | Art Walks: Cardiff
- ^ a b Big Cardiff | Premier Inn (Cardiff City Centre)
- ^ DTZ | Helmont House, Churchill Way, Cardiff