H B Allen Centre
Background
The H B Allen Centre is named for Heather Barbara "Mickie" Allen, founder of the H B Allen Charitable Trust. Ms. Allen was a descendant of the founder of Beefeater Gin, James Burrough, and also donated to RNLI for lifeboats in Padstow. The trust contributed a £25 million capital grant to assist with construction and fitting out of the new site.
Construction
The centre was built on the site of the former Acland Hospital. Part of the old hospital, the Sarah Acland House, is a Grade II listed building, and a significant challenge in construction was preserving this structure.
The H B Allen Centre was officially opened on 3 October 2019 (a year behind schedule) by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.
Facilities
The centre includes accommodation for 230 full-time graduates, as well as common area including two multipurpose rooms, laundry facilities, a gym, a café, and lecture theatre.
References
- ^ "Gin heiress' £2m lifeboat legacy". 25 October 2005.
- ^ "The H B Allen Centre". Keble College. Keble College, Oxford. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Eckersley O'Callaghan – Engineers – Keble College H B Allen Centre". www.eocengineers.com. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Duke of Cambridge opens Oxford University's H B Allen Centre". BBC News. UK: BBC. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.