Pleasure Beach submits plans for £12m new hotel

A detailed blueprint reveals the bedrooms and conference centre would be accommodated within a new five storey building on the site of the current Star pub, which will be demolished along with some check in buildings.

The neighbouring Coasters Diner, which is empty, will be redeveloped to provide a restaurant and bar, with new features matching the architecture of the proposed hotel.

Originally it had been proposed to demolish Coasters as well and rebuild.

But a design statement by Cheshire-based architects Allison Pike, accompanying the application, says “it became evident there would not be enough time to demolish the Coasters Diner and rebuild another building when the resort is closed over the winter months”.

It adds closing the Pleasure Beach to enable construction was “out of the question”.

The statement says: “Therefore the decision was taken to refurbish the Coasters building and neighbouring promenade building to provide the restaurant and bar, and move the conference centre into the ground floor of the new hotel.”

Bedrooms will either have views over the sea or over the Pleasure Beach.

The architects conclude the scheme “will achieve a huge improvement to the visual appearance of this prominent corner site on the edge of the Pleasure Beach.”

Pleasure Beach managing director Amanda Thompson has previously said the aim is to “offer visitors to Blackpool another hotel which exceeds the expectations of both leisure and business visitors.”

The hotel will create 70 new jobs, including 30 permanent positions and 40 seasonal vacancies.

The park’s successful Big Blue Hotel opened in 2003.