Built on part of an underused car park, the new hotel complements existing hotel accommodation in Torquay and is set to bring long term benefits to the town centre, businesses, and the community.
Torbay Council appointed Willmott Dixon in November 2022 to complete the delivery of the development after unexpected external challenges, which included the Covid pandemic and the original contractor going into administration, delayed the original programme.
The 120-bedroom, purpose-built hotel Premier Inn hotel, operated by Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel business, is expected to attract thousands of guests each year and bring an anticipated £3million of tourism spend to the town.
Premier Inn Torquay Harbour opens its doors today (Monday 22 April) employing 41 team members and brings Premier Inn’s very latest product, including 28 of the brand’s popular enhanced Premier Plus bedrooms to the town.
The investment in this project forms part of the Councils medium and long-term plans for Torbay that include making improvements to its town centres, creating year-round job opportunities, and attracting further investment and commercial interest.
Cllr Chris Lewis, Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth for Torbay Council, said; “The completion of this project in one of Torquay’s most prominent harbourside locations is great news for visitors who want to come to the English Riviera.
“It has been a challenging project for a range of reasons that couldn’t have been predicted. We’ve managed to work through those challenges and learn from them.
“Our long-term strategy for Torbay is to create a Bay as the place to invest, work, live and visit. This new hotel, encompasses just that.”
Kate Hunter-Bond, Estate Development Project Manager for Whitbread, said; “Opening our second location in Torquay demonstrates our confidence in the town as a visitor destination. The Torquay Harbour Premier Inn adds another superb location to our network for our guests. We’re proud to be creating 41 new permanent jobs, with training and development opportunities and making another long-term investment in the community.”
Rob Woolcock, Director at Willmott Dixon commented, “We were delighted to work with Torbay Council as part of a collaborative partnership to deliver this fantastic new hotel. The investment and development that is being made is a reflection of the Council’s commitment to create a thriving Torbay and we are proud to be part of the commitment.”
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