Vroom With A View - Bicester Plans Automotive Resort

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10 August 2018

Bicester Heritage has planned a 344-room hotel as part of an overall vision for a souped-up automotive resort on a former RAF site.

The plans have been submitted for the former RAF Bicester site, which, five years ago, was transformed from a state of disrepair to a thriving centre for over 35 classic and vintage car specialists.

Dan Geoghegan, MD of Bicester Heritage, said “We are looking forward to welcoming enthusiasts to our motoring hotel, from which they will be able to experience a range of automotive destinations on a single site, from the centre for historic motorcars to a private track, exhibition hangars, OEM brand centre and future technology.”

Designed by British designer and car enthusiast Dexter Moren, the hotel will use materials inspired by existing pre-war RAF Bicester buildings and also use the dimensions and orientation as the 1936 C-Type hangars.

Moren said “The design objective has been to respond in a contemporary manner to the site’s story, drawing inspiration from its historic position at the forefront of aviation, engineering, and innovation while complementing the existing period buildings.”

Subtle details, such as the expanded steel mesh covering the curve of the building are reminiscent of the camouflage deployed when it was a training centre, with the overall structure also following the lines of adjacent hangars.

Alongside amenities such as top-tier restaurant, bar, courtyard, gym, swimming pool and sauna, the hotel will offer an immersive experience for car enthusiasts.

The four-storey atrium has been conceived to showcase rotating automotive themed exhibitions and displays - and in line with the vision for the site as a whole will not only feature cars of the past but also the very best cars of the present and the future.

Further facilitating the extensive range of events held at Bicester Heritage, the hotel will be adjacent to a raised earth bank complete with Mille Miglia-style start line, making Bicester Heritage an ideal start point for rallies.

Further plans include the building of motor lodges, luxury leisure residencies allowing individuals to stay within the 425-acre resort with their car and adjacent to the private recreational driver’s circuit.

Picture: The former RAF Bicester site now has an historic motor vehicle theme. Plans have been submitted to add an hotel.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 10 August 2018

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