The £100 million refurbishment of The Savoy has been delayed by more than a year after big structural problems were found.
The hotel may not actually open until July as doubts mount that the total cost could surpass £200 million, although operators Fairmont Hotels and Resorts will not reveal the exact number.
Some of the hotel has been underpinned with roughly 200 tonnes of steel after moldy timber and fragile floors were exposed. The hotel’s dangerous wiring and plumbing have also postponed the project.
The make-over was thought to last 16 months when it shut in December 2007. General manager Kiaran MacDonald said: “Therefurbishment is very much in delay, and it’s fair to say the budget is now in excess of £100 million.”
