Malmaison founder Ken McCulloch's first Columbus hotel in the UK has been delayed by more than a year because of energy supply problems at the development site.
The £20m, five-star Columbus spa hotel, sister to the existing Monaco property of the same name, was due to open at Brooklands racing circuit in Weybridge, Surrey, this month.
But speaking to Caterer last week, McCulloch said the failure of utility company EDF Energy to meet the energy requirements of his new hotel project had put it in development limbo for the past year. Construction will now begin within the next two months, with launch due at the end of 2007.
Brooklands is being redeveloped by luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz as Mercedes Benz World, launching in October, and Columbus will be the multimillion-pound site's exclusive accommodation.
- McCulloch's second Dakota was launched last weekend. Dakota Eurocentral, between Glasgow and Edinburgh, is a 92-bedroom, £11m new-build hotel that offers "luxury touches" at a rack-rate of £89. Its 50-seat French brasserie-style grill is being overseen by Roy Brett, formerly chef at Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant.
Described by McCulloch as a "soulful project" the new hotel joins Dakota Nottingham, which opened in June 2004. The 135-bedroom Dakota Forth Bridge will open in March 2007.
McCulloch opened the first Columbus hotel in Monaco in concert with F1 driver David Coulthard in April 2001.