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Oxfordshire (2001 Southern Tourist Board research)

Hotel performance in Oxfordshire is generally strong, though variations are evident across the county dependent upon location and the mix of business generated. In both Oxford and the rest of the county, whilst business demand still dominates, there is more of a mix of business and leisure markets than is evidenced in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, and to some extent, this and the diminishing effect of London and the Thames Valley corridor, impacts upon achieved rates.

• Oxford — 4 star hotels are achieving very high occupancies (75-86%) and have been high for a number of years. Business is steady throughout the year and across the week, with Sunday being the only poor-performing night (40-50%). High average room rates are being achieved, particularly in the boutique and town house hotels in the City. The market mix is 60% business, 40% leisure, with leisure breaks, overseas tourists, and the colleges boosting the latter. There is a healthy level of rack-rate business (10-20%). The larger, business hotels are declining some mid-week business (4/5 rooms) whilst boutique and town house hotels are declining significant levels of business, particularly at weekends. Budget hotels are achieving 90% occupancy, with evidence of significant levels of denials during the week and on Saturdays.
• Oxfordshire Towns — 3 star occupancies overall are slightly below the national average (65-67%), but pockets of higher occupancy are evident, particularly in Banbury (68-80%) and Abingdon. West Oxfordshire is clearly more leisure driven, with lower weekday occupancies and higher weekend performance though the conference market is also strong here. ARRs range between ВЈ44 and ВЈ75. Mid-week business is being declined in Banbury/Bicester, Henley-on-Thames, Wantage and Abingdon (up to 10 rooms/night), but there is little evidence of denials in West Oxfordshire. Budget hotel occupancies are between 75 and 93%, particularly strong in the week and on Saturdays, with evidence of some declined mid-week demand.

Characteristics in Oxfordshire

• Oxfordshire has 79 hotels with 3,041 rooms.
• These are predominantly small-medium sized 3 star hotels, 4 star provision is concentrated in Oxford, and budget provision in Oxford and at strategic roadside locations. The county has 2 de luxe 4 star boutique/town house hotels in Oxford (Old Bank, Old Parsonage) and one de luxe 4 star country house hotel (Le Manoir).
• The main concentrations of hotel stock is in Oxford; otherwise hotel supply is spread across the county's towns, with most having 100-120 hotel rooms. There is a slightly higher supply in Banbury and Abingdon, and limited hotel supply in Bicester, Didcot and Wantage.
• Hotel development activity has focused primarily on Oxford, with 2 new 4 star hotels, the upgrading of the Oxford Hotel to 4 star, a new Holiday Inn due to open in June 2001, extensions to the Oxford Belfry, and extensions to budget hotels in Oxford. There have been extensions to 3 star hotels in the Banbury area, and limited budget hotel development (one new budget hotel at Abingdon).

Identified sites in Oxfordshire:

Oxford, Abingdon, Banbury, Bicester.

Gaps in provision:

• Oxford — there is a clear shortage of budget accommodation in Oxford, and potential for at least one further, large budget hotel. There is also scope for a further boutique or town house hotel. In the 4 star sector, there is unlikely to be potential for further development, with the upgrading of the Oxford Hotel to 4 star. The repositioning of the new Post House to a 4 star Holiday Inn is likely to meet the remaining need, and could present an opportunity for 3 star development. Further 4 star development could lead to an oversupply situation, particularly in view of the strength of interest from potential developers.
• Elsewhere in the county, there is some shortage of 3 star hotel accommodation on weekdays in certain locations — Banbury, Henley-on-Thames, Wantage and Abingdon — all of which offer potential for additional provision. This could best be met through extension of existing hotels rather than new hotel development. There could be potential for new small country house, town house or pub hotels. The lack of existing hotel supply in Bicester and Didcot could present an opportunity for new hotel development in these locations.
• In terms of the budget hotel sector there is some limited potential for development. The best prospects for new budget hotels are likely to be in strategic roadside locations, or through the extension/addition of rooms to existing operations and pubs.

Please note that this research was conducted in 2001. There has not been any data update for this county since that time.