EXCLUSIVE: The Carlton Hotel in Sandown is set to be completely demolished to make way for a brand new 100-bedroom Premier Inn hotel and Brewer’s Fayre restaurant, Island Echo can exclusively reveal.
After more than 34 years as a family run coaching hotel, The Carlton’s doors have now closed for the last time. But instead of leaving the esplanade hotel to become an empty eyesore, owners CHG Holdings have revealed exciting plans for a brand new seaside Premier Inn hotel with a Brewer’s Fayre restaurant on the ground floor – the only one on the Isle of Wight.
It is felt the redevelopment of the prime seafront location with a new national branded hotel will be the catalyst for the regeneration of Sandown, a town which has recently been under the spot light for its lack of redevelopment and growing number of abandoned buildings.
50 new jobs will be created by the opening of the hotel and restaurant.
Les Pink of CHG Holdings said:
“The cycle of tourism is ever changing with hotel accommodation expectation increasing and bookings becoming more internet and brand driven.
“The exchange of contracts with Premier Inn Hotels Limited, which is subject to planning, will result in the total redevelopment of the esplanade site to include a brand new 100 bedroom Premier Inn Hotel and a Brewers Fayre Restaurant.”
As well as providing on-site food and drink for guests, Brewer’s Fayre will be open to the public and will be Sandown’s first branded restaurant. The nearest Brewer’s Fayre is currently in Southsea.
Today’s news is likely to be very much welcomed by residents and businesses in Sandown who have been battling for improvement in the town for sometime. It is hoped the modern but affordable hotel and nationally-known brand name will bring more tourists and locals into Sandown.
A planning application for the development is on track to be submitted to the Isle of Wight Council early in the new year, with hopes that demolition of the existing Carlton building can begin in Autumn 2016 after the summer season, subject to planning.
Should planning permission be approved, the new hotel is anticipated to open by the end of 2017 and will be the third and largest Premier Inn on the Island, the newest of which is due to open in Lake by February.
The Carlton Hotel has now closed following the conclusion of the 2015 season.
UPDATE: The news has been welcomed by many, with Visit Isle of Wight’s CEO, David Thornton saying that it is ‘excellent to see positive progress and big ideas’.
Meanwhile Jon Platt, of Sandown-based JMP Partnership, has congratulated Les Pink and family.
