Ex-BBC broadcasting office returns to its roots and reopens as a luxury hotel

Bought by the BBC in 1939 to function as an emergency broadcasting centre, Wood Norton reopens this month as a luxury hotel.

Located in Worcestershire, a few miles from the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon, the site was bought by the BBC in 1939 to act as an emergency broadcasting centre away from London. It went on to become one of Europe’s largest broadcasting centres and produced an output of 1,300 programmes a week.

After the Second World War, Wood Norton became the BBC’s engineering training centre and has also featured in BBC productions. The building was used for some of the filming of the Doctor Who serial Spearhead from Space and it was later used for all of the location filming for another Doctor Who series Robot, starring Tom Baker.

The opening of The Wood Norton hotel this month sees a return to form for the building. It was originally built as a hunting lodge for European Royalty in 1897. Having undergone a £4m restoration, the Grade II listed Victorian property is now a 50-room hotel.

Rates at the four-star hotel start from £85 per night including breakfast, or from £235 per night in one of the property’s handful of suites. Now accepting guests, it opens officially on November 29.

Image: nicksmithphotography.com