AMBITIOUS £9million plans have been revealed for a huge expansion of a plush seafront hotel as it battles back from Covid-19.

Bosses at Roslin Beach Hotel, in Thorpe Bay, plan to demolish a collection of properties which form part of the hotel complex to extend the hotel to offer a luxurious, safe and comfortable retreat for guests.

The project – which could see two-storey extensions built on the east and west of the property – is designed to help the hotel bounce back following the coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel currently boasts 62 rooms and under the exciting new plans, there would instead be 55 rooms throughout the ground, first and second floors.

Echo:

Team - outside outside the Roslin

The designs also outline a hotel which is more Covid-friendly, creating more spacious public areas, wider corridors, and an expanded reception area. It is expected the project will cost up to £9million.

Numbers eight and ten on Clieveden Road, and numbers nine and 14 on Thorpe Esplanade are set to be demolished to make room for the project – creating 50 new jobs.

Jacqui Dallimore, managing director, said: "The ambition for the Roslin is to be Southend's first five-star hotel. By completing these building works I am sure this will make it happen for us. 

"It should also help give the town and our tourism sector what it needs at the moment, especially when competing with the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth."

And speaking on behalf of the Roslin, Jamie Milne from owners, the Regis Group, said: “After 13 years of an enormously successful journey, we were asked to close our doors for an undetermined length of time, whilst the country fought to beat a new virus, Covid-19.

“We took time to reflect on which direction we would now have to turn, in order to keep the love of the Roslin alive, and tried to work out how we could re-open under the unknown of the new normal. What became obvious very quickly was that space was going to be essential to the survival of any hospitality business. If we could offer a spacious, safe and comfortable environment, we were confident our beloved guests would return.

“We feel this will greatly enhance the experience our guests will receive, but also give us the opportunity to maintain greater distancing going forward.

“It will enable us to continue providing a beautiful venue to visit, a great place for people to work and a business that supports the area.”

Hotel rooms in the extension, drawn up by architects APS Designs, will take advantage of the magnificent sea views and the addition of two new lifts is hoped to make the second floor much more accessible.

And with tourism “suffering greatly” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, bosses believe the overhaul could be the best opportunity to invest and attract more visitors in the future.