House of Fraser hotel plans change

Rooftop restaurant will now be in basement

A £30 million scheme to change Exeter's former House of Fraser store into a hotel have been amended. 

The owners – wealth management firm Prydis – have submitted fresh plans to Exeter City Council that would see changes made, with a spa and a speakeasy bar in the basement, while the rooftop restaurant will move to the ground floor.

Retail units on the ground floor facing the High Street remain, as does the rooftop bar, while internal layout changes to the configuration of the bedrooms have been made.

In a statement with the amended application, they say they're committed to bringing a high-quality hotel to Exeter and believes the changes benefit the development and wider area.

In the basement, retail storage has been reduced to be replaced by a beauty treatment and relaxation spa.  A speak-easy style bar will be accessed via Catherine Street.

Amendments have also been made to the internal configuration on floors one to four, while on the fifth floor, the restaurant has been relocated to the ground floor and replaced with five bedrooms. The rooftop bar, which will have views over Exeter Cathedral in one direction, St Stephens Church on the other side and up to Exeter Castle in the distance, remains, but has been reconfigured to provide more indoor seats.

The House of Fraser department store closed last year. 

Entrance to the new hotel on Catherine Street in Exeter city centre