Hopes for tourism boost from hotel chain plan

Premier Inn has announced plans to open a 130-room hotel in Littlehampton's town centre.

The hotel chain intends to replace the former Waitrose on Avon Road, which closed in 2015, with a new building and a 100-space car park.

Premier Inn is running a consultation on the multi-million pound build until 26 February and held a drop-in event at the Town Hall on Wednesday.

Mayor of Littlehampton Sean Lee told BBC Radio Sussex: "This kind of investment and development is really good news."

He said the prospect of a new hotel had created a "wave of optimism" in the town.

Mr Lee said: "I've already had business owners talking to me about new ideas."

One local - who lives opposite the site - welcomed the move but was worried about the hotel having more rooms than parking spaces.

He said: "I have a few concerns - not the least of which is where I'm going to park my car.

"None of the neighbours around here have got parking.

"If they get a really full hotel, people are going to struggle to find places."

Owner of Ahead to Toe hair salon Celia Thomson-Hitchcock said local businesses hope to see a tourism boost.

She said: "It's just going to highlight how fabulous Littlehampton is and allow people to stay, spend more time and really investigate the area."

Plans shown by the hotel show it intends to create 30 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.

Elsewhere in Sussex, an 84-room Premier Inn should be finished by the end of the year in Hastings, while a £13m 116-room hotel in Bognor Regis will be built on the old fire station site on the promenade.

Premier Inn has been contacted for comment.

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