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A £40m project has seen the transformation of the former Old Street Magistrates Court and Police Station in Shoreditch into recently opened 128-room Courthouse Hotel.The Grade II-listed property has combined its heritage along with contemporary design to create a unique luxury hotel.
The property is steeped in history. It was in the Magistrates’ Court that writer Joe Orton stood accused of stealing books from Islington library and the Kray twins of ‘demanding money with menaces’. Even after the court and police station closed in 1996, the building remained a much sought-after filming location appearing on popular TV programmes such as Spooks and Luther.
The property uses its ample history, drawing on designs to turn the building that housed the East End’s most notorious criminals into a series of spacious and contemporary rooms. Period features have been retained and restored, and the addition of contemporary designs have given the hotel a balance between its history and the demands of the modern-day hotel guest.
Its 86 bedrooms and 42 suites, located in the hotel’s new and old wings, are topped off by the Shoreditch Sky Terrace Suites – two one-bedroom residences spread out across 60 square metres of living space. The suites boast panoramic views of London’s skyline, along with a private bar and mini-cinema lounge.
Meanwhile, Courtroom Number One hosts the main casual fine dining restaurant, and Courtroom Number Two has been renovated into an exclusive members’ bar. Staying in touch with the property’s roots, the hotel’s main bar features five refurbished prison cells.
Facilities of the hotel include:
- 196-seat cinema
- 86 guest rooms and 42 suites
- Two-lane bowling alley with private bar
- Events space accommodating up to 450 people sitting down or 900 reception-style
- Luxury spa featuring heated indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, treatment rooms, steam room and sauna.
- Shoreditch Sky Terrace bar
- The main bar, including five renovated cells
- Silk restaurant
- Carnaby Brasserie
