Member Article

Commissioners Quay development given green light ahead of Tall Ships visit

The go-ahead has been given for an Inn with 40 bedrooms in Blyth which will be open for business ahead of the arrival of the Tall Ships next year, creating 35 new jobs for the town.

The Commissioners Quay Inn will be built by Arch, The Northumberland Development Company and operated by hospitality and leisure group, The Inn Collection Group (ICG).

The development is the second phase of Arch’s investment at Commissioners Quay, adding a further £5m following the opening of Blyth Workspace in March and has a planning application for new housing currently under consideration.

It is part-funded by the North East LEP’s North East Investment Fund (NEIF).

Located on Blyth’s Quay Road within one of the North East LEP’s Enterprise Zones earmarked for redevelopment, the four-storey building has been designed to provide an attractive venue for daytime and evening trade, and to provide an improvement to the quayside area.

The building will be constructed in a high quality redbrick with elements of render and timber referencing the surroundings. Ground source heat pumps will be utilised to partly supply hot water.

The Commissioners Quay Inn has been designed with 40 bedrooms across three floors providing stunning sea views, while a ground floor bar and eatery area overlooking the river will provide covers for up to 265 diners inside with a further 100 covers outside and offer informal meeting spaces.

ICG chief executive Keith Liddell said: “The Commissioners Quay Inn will be a great addition to our portfolio and the jewel in the crown of Blyth’s harbour regeneration. There is a real shortage of accommodation of this nature in Blyth and The Commissioners Quay Inn will fulfil this current gap in the market.

“The arrival of the Tall Ships next year will really put Blyth on the map and we’re delighted that The Commissioners Quay Inn will be open for business, offering much-need accommodation to visitors so they extend their stay in the town, fuelling more trade for local businesses. Beyond the Tall Ships, the Inn will provide much needed accommodation for visiting businesses to the likes of the Port of Blyth and Catapult.”

“In both the short and long term, the new development will give a boost to Blyth’s economy, both from the jobs created during construction and the 35 permanent, full time positions the inn will generate.”

Cllr Dave Ledger, Arch Chair and Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council said: “We are excited to be working with a leisure operator of the ICG’s calibre to provide Blyth with much-needed new accommodation provision in a prime regeneration location.

The development of The Commissioners Quay Inn is in keeping with Northumberland County Councils investment programme in Blyth to boost the area’s economic and tourism capacity. As well as creating jobs, visitors bring vital added spend into the local economy, so this announcement is good news all around.

“The Commissioners Quay Inn is scheduled to open in Spring 2016 and we anticipate the inn will be a hugely popular place for people to stay when the Tall Ships arrive in Blyth next August. It will be perfectly positioned for viewing the world-class spectacle and guests can expect to enjoy some fantastic views of the Northumberland coastline too”.

Jeremy Middleton, North East LEP board member, added: “This is a positive step forward and underlines how NEIF is making a real difference within local communities.

“This new Inn supports business growth within Blyth and South East Northumberland by providing somewhere cost effective and accessible for those working in Subsea and Offshore off the Northumberland Coast.”

Construction of The Commissioners Quay Inn will be delivered by Bowmer and Kirkland Limited, with work scheduled to start on site later this month.

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