SOUTHEND United chairman Ron Martin has revealed a decision to drop a hotel from his new stadium plans were due to competition from Southend Airport hotels and difficult economic times.

Mr Martin said the tough decision not to include a Hilton Hotel in his long-awaited plan for a new stadium at Fossetts Farm was “disappointing” but was also a sound business decision.

The hotel had been a long-touted element of the plan for a major new stadium for the club, and would have included a huge ballroom that looked over the pitch and could be hired out on non-match days.

Despite the hotel element being dropped, Mr Martin is confident the ballroom will still be built.

He said: “Back in 2019 Hilton Hotel, with whom we had signed a franchise agreement to operate their Hampton brand, wrote advising they had signed a conditional agreement with the airport, for a Hampton brand should the club’s plans not come forward swiftly.

“A Hampton by Hilton Southend Airport was Hilton’s preferred location. At that time our planning application had not been resolved so it was always going to be some time before the hotel could be operational.

“Hilton did offer the club the Garden Inn brand, which we considered but concluded in early 2020 that it would not be viable. With airlines pulling out and potentially two major franchised hotels at the airport, our hotel was always likely to be third in line. This was a disappointment but looking back the decision was correct because the Hampton by Hilton at Southend Airport also has not happened.”

The hotel has been replaced by an extra 42 homes - bringing the total to 224.

The planned 21,000-seater statement has now also to 16,226.

Mr Martin added: “Converting the hotel space to residential wasn’t ideal, but the 42 units will make up a little for not having a viable hotel. We have, fortunately, managed to keep all the major facilities designed with the hotel, including the ballroom, this overlooks the pitch and can seat circa 1,000 people on match days.

“As part of the amendments, we also right sized the bowl for the club’s demographic.

“We are in the National League right now, and whilst we all want to climb the leagues, we also want a good atmosphere whichever league we are in. A stadium of some 17,000 in the Championship, with operational facilities every day of the week would be sustainable. This is the objective.”