From iconic past to lux future: Oxford’s historic Boswells Store is reborn as a boutique hotel

The Store Oxford — Oxford’s Boswells Store at Nos. 1 to 5 Broad Street has been reborn as a luxurious boutique hotel

History has it that in 1738, a Francis Boswell began selling travelling goods at 50 Cornmarket Street (on the west side, just north of Frewin Court) in Oxford. He rebuilt the shop with its neighbours in 1874, and the business stayed in the Boswell family until 1890 when Henry Boswell sold it to Arthur Pearson, who retained the Boswells name.

Meanwhile, in 1854, No. 1 Broad Street housed the cabinet maker William Herbert, who expanded his premises from 31 Cornmarket Street. In 1859, it was taken over by another cabinet maker, William Baker, who remained there until 1914 before moving to a new building on the corner, now known as William Baker House.

No. 2 Broad Street was home to The North Star pub, which dates back to the eighteenth century. In 1828, the landlord was Mr Wentworth, and following a succession of landlords, it became owned by the tobacconist Edward M. Staniland by 1914.

The tobacconist William Gardner lived at No. 3 Broad Street with his wife and two daughters at the time of the 1871 census. By 1914, this address housed E. M. Liddell’s Berlin wool depository.

In 1882, Arthur Pearson bought Alderman James Stanley Lowe’s shop at 31 Cornmarket Street and ran his own ironmonger’s shop there until 1912, when he moved his premises to George Street. He then had No. 31 Cornmarket Street rebuilt as the Oxford Drug Company.

Boswells remained a small shop at 50 Cornmarket until 1928, when the first five shops on Broad Street were demolished to create Boswell House, with the department store occupying Nos. 1 to 3 and separate shops at Nos. 4 & 5.

Pearson ran his two shops separately until 1958 when an opening was made to join the two buildings in the form of an L-shaped shop around William Baker House on the corner. The two shops remained united to create what became Oxford’s largest independent department store.

However, Boswells, clinging to its traditional department store allure, eventually lost out to the convenience of online competitors and sadly closed its doors in 2020 after 282 years of trading. In March 2021, planning permission was granted to convert Boswell House at Nos. 1 to 5 Broad Street into a hotel.

Today, hospitality experts Reef Group and EQ Group have taken over as custodians of one of Oxford’s iconic buildings, and they’ve done a commendable job fitting out the interior with all the modern amenities expected from a boutique hotel.

Redesigned by the team behind chic Parisian hotels Dame des Arts and Hotel des Grands Voyageurs, The Store draws from the diverse influences that have shaped Oxford, delighting guests with a labyrinth of beautifully designed spaces that are both a homage to the past and a bold step forward.

On the ground floor and open to the public is a vast statement bar with street views for casual drinking, co-working and casual dining. The space is light-filled thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, the originals of the former department store, and will remain cosy in colder days from the fireside snug area. Just remember to put your laptops away when the space becomes a laptop-free zone at 6.00pm.

Also on the ground floor is Treadwell, the hotel’s untraditionally British signature restaurant, situated on the street once known as Treadwell’s Passage – a bustling (and somewhat notorious) hub of Oxford, dating back to 1841.

Home to a fish hawker, shoemaker, scavenger, needlewoman and other such characters, the passage was a boisterous meeting place full of life and variety. In 1851, it was coined ‘one of Oxford’s greatest nuisances’ due to its debaucherous reputation until it was reborn in 1912 when Arthur Pearson opened the much-loved Boswells department store.

The upper floors house 101 rooms inspired by the building’s heritage as a historic department store. Expect plush velvet headboards, muted palette and textures, deeply comfortable king-size beds, generous bathrooms, and unique artworks that blend style and comfort with period features and playful touches, offering a sense of provenance and place.

A new and unexpected addition to the building is a rooftop terrace bar and outdoor seating area on the fifth floor, where over 21s can enjoy signature cocktails with unrivalled views over Oxford’s dreaming spires. Also surprising is the spa on the lower ground floor. Cocooned in walnut-panelled walls, it offers state-of-the-art facilities alongside treatments from world-renowned British brands.

Looking ahead, what does the future hold for Boswells House at Nos. 1 to 5 Broad Street? I might know a thing or two about some futuristic additions to the hotel… but I’m keeping hush for now. You know the drill… watch this space.