Residents have their say on Gainsborough's hotel plans

Around 170 people attended a consultation and the feedback indicates that the majority of people are in favour of the revised plans which include a 56 room Travelodge hotel, a Ponti’s Italian Kitchen restaurant with an alfresco dining area and water wall feature inspired by Paley Park in New York, improvements to the Roseway Car Park creating additional town centre car parking and an attractive and welcoming arrival point for visitors and a joint venture partnership with West Lindsey District Council to refurbish town centre shops with new traditional shop fronts, creating an Independent Quarter in the town.

Amanda Holmes from Dransfield Properties said: “We are delighted with the response we have received to the plans for the former Sun Inn site and the further improvements in this part of the town centre - both in terms of the design of the development and the need for a hotel and further investment in Gainsborough.”

Peter Rubenis thinks the plans will really smarten up the area and help profile the town.

He said: “I think the plans look really good and will it help give the town a higher profile.

“It will be great for visitors to have somewhere to stay and hopefully it will bring people to the town as they start to hear about it.

“The outdoor area looks really nice and I am really impressed with it.

“It was worrying when the Premier Inn pulled out but now Travelodge are involved and I really hope it goes ahead.

“And it will hopefully bring other businesses into the town and it will become a cluster for other establishments.”

Lynn Cowling is looking forward to the new look for the town.

Lynn said: “I think it looks a lot better and it will be nice to have some independent shops.

“The plans don’t look out of place and having traditional shop fronts will make a difference.

“It is an important route to the town and it is the main hub to the town and it is an important site.

“The back of it will make a huge difference and any improvement to the parking is welcomed.”

If the redevelopment plans are approved work will start later in the year – the first phase will deliver the new hotel and restaurant.

The hotel and restaurant will support local businesses and create a huge boost for the town centre economy, particularly to the early evening trade.

Travelodge has more than 500 hotels across the UK as well as in Ireland and Spain – the company has positioned itself as the leading hotel brand for value, offering a great option for both leisure and business travel.

A recent £100m modernisation programme has just seen Travelodge upgrade more than 30,000 rooms across its estate with a new contemporary look and feel which will be reflected in the new Gainsborough hotel.

The Ponti’s Italian Kitchen restaurant will be on the ground floor with entrances from Market Street and the Roseways Car Park.

The family owned company has restaurants in London and at Fox Valley in north Sheffield and the new Gainsborough restaurant will be the team’s first venture in Lincolnshire and the east Midlands.

The plans for the redevelopment of the run down former Sun Inn site have already been widely supported by the business community in Gainsborough and answer the need for a good quality hotel in Gainsborough.

The company has applied for a £1.4 million grant to deliver the new hotel development and the plans will now be submitted to West Lindsey District Council’s Planning Committee.

Dransfield Properties is working with the team from Dixon Dawson Architects to deliver an attractive Edwardian style building which is in keeping with the neighbouring buildings. It’s estimated that the new hotel development will deliver around 25 new jobs in the town with a further 20 being created at the restaurant.