A SEAFRONT hotel plans to expand again because of its growing popularity.

The Roslin Hotel in Thorpe Bay wants to spend £750,000 building a function and conference suite between its main building and a neighbouring house to the west, which bosses say will create up to 50 jobs in the town.

The planned expansion comes in the middle of a renaissance for Southend hotels, with the Palace Hotel due to open next month and also plans for a luxury hotel on the Esplanade pub site submitted to the council.

Regis Group, the owners of the Roslin, have submitted a planning application to Southend Council to convert the next door house at 9 Thorpe Esplanade, into a cafe and conference facilities.

The owners also want to build a two-storey extension between the house and the hotel, which would create eight new rooms and provide 13 new parking spaces.

The converted home was bought about six months ago and is thought to have cost more than £1m.

Sales manager Jacqui Harris said: “It’s basically for conferences and banqueting for weddings anniversary parties.

“We are really excited about it.

“We have such high demand from local businesses to hold functions.

“Only last weekend, we had a breakfast for the mayor’s charity for 80 people.

“The Roslin has been a huge success story and been completely turned around.

“We are hoping to create up to 50 new jobs, which can only be good for the town.

“Hopefully we will attract more businesses to Southend.”

Mrs Harris said the hotel wanted to be prepared for the increased tourism expected from the 2012 London Olympics as well as provide conference facilities for any sports teams training nearby.

If the application is approved, the eight new executive rooms would mean the hotel has 65 rooms in total, up from 57 at the moment.

Mrs Harris said, if all goes to plan, they were hoping for the extension to be up and running by Christmas.

She said: “We are 100 per cent full at the moment and could do with another 28 rooms, but eight would be fantastic. We just want to carry on the success of the Roslin. I hope people can see the money that has been invested in the hotel.”

Last July, the hotel opened its Beach House, also in a converted house but to the east of the main building, adding an extra nine rooms and creating about 30 new jobs.

Councillors will make a decision by April 1.