King’s loses out
The tug-of-war over Somerset House’s New Wing will end in victory for London’s luxury hotel business.
According to the Sunday Times (May 11), hospitality heavyweight GuestInvest is due to pip rivals including KCL with a lease offer believed to be in the region of £50m.
John Pennethorne’s grade 1 listed annexe, which faces onto Waterloo Bridge, has housed the Inland Revenue since 1849.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been working with the Somerset House Trust to decide the future of the public building since the civil servants gave notice last year.
Other sections of the historic building occupied by government administration will be freed up by the reshuffle, with King’s set to move into buildings on the east side of the courtyard.
The Courtauld Institute of Art will continue to occupy the north wing, with the Institute of Contemporary Arts rumoured to be switching to the south or west wings from its current home in the Mall.
The main prize, however, seems to have been awarded to the developers. GuestInvest stepped into the breach after negotiations with the Israeli Alrov group, reported in London Student last year, ground to a halt.
King’s bosses have refused to comment on the reports. Last October, they published their own plans for the New Wing, which envisaged a ‘crucible for the arts, with space for digital arts, film, music and performance.’
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