In August 2022, Whitbread announced it had acquired 5 Strand for a hub by Premier Inn hotel.

The 700-bedroom development will create one of the largest budget hotels in central London, a stone’s throw from Nelson’s Column.

In this exclusive EG podcast, the team behind the £125m acquisition will lift the lid on why they were so attracted to the location, how the opportunity came about and the task of planning for such a large hotel in the heart of the West End.

And we ask what will it bring and how does it align with Westminster City Council’s goals for sustainability and a fairer economy?