Henley site earmarked for luxury hotel development

Winchester-based Hotel du Vin is to apply to build a 42-bedroom luxury hotel on the site of the former Brakspear brewery in Henley-on-Thames. The site has been bought for £10m ­ Hotel du Vin paid £3.5m for the brewery itself with flats and offices planned for other parts of the site. Richard Hawley, an Australian businessman who is involved in the housing and offices project, has promised the site will be developed sympathetically and in tune with its existing character. Entrepreneur Hawley was involved in developing the site of the former Wethered brewery at Marlow and says the same techniques will be used at the Henley brewery. Local residents will be encouraged to express their views on the new development and have an input into the shape of the final scheme. Hotel du Vin already runs five prestigious hotels across the UK, and will extend this to six in September when its latest hotel opens in Harrogate, north Yorkshire. The new 42-bedroom hotel at Henley will be housed alongside the old brewery courtyard. Brakspear, which now operates its pub estate from a separate site in Henley, said it was pleased at the outcome of the sale. Chief executive Scott Cooper said: "We sold the site without planning so it was up to the purchaser to establish the future use. "As far as we are aware, indications are that the plans will be well received in the town.