The Keswick hotel was due to be open before Christmas
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The date for opening the doors of Keswick's first Premier Inn appears to have been delayed again, according to details listed on the firm's website.
When plans were first revealed for the new hotel, it was hoped it would be open in time for Christmas. However, an update in December on the website suggested this had been pushed back until January 9.
Now, it seems the hotel won't open until February 6 according to a note on the website which a spokesman said is a guide date. In October, it was revealed the construction of Keswick's first hotel by the nationwide hotel giant was 'on track'.
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A Premier Inn spokesman has said that the date is for "guidance" purposes and they should know soon when the hotel will open. A previous statement after the first delay said: "The new Premier Inn on High Hill in Keswick is our first Premier Inn hotel in the Lake District National Park. Opening the doors will be a hugely significant moment for us and we want to get everything right for our guests before we welcome them to the new hotel.
“Our original target was to open the Keswick Premier Inn before the festive break. As Christmas fast approaches, we have decided to pause and open the doors to the 71-bedroom hotel in the New Year.
"The principal contractor GMI Construction will continue fitting out the new hotel this side of Christmas and in early January. The excellent new team we have recruited will also continue with their training this week and in the New Year.
“We are really looking forward to being part of the business community in Keswick and playing our part to promote the town to our leisure and business customers. Taking a few weeks to get everything ready for them is the sensible thing to do.”
The new 71-bedroom hotel is located on High Hill in Keswick and has created up to 30 permanent and flexible job opportunities.
The hotel is located on the former site of the Ravensfield Residential Care Home and will provide 29 customer parking spaces including four disabled bays charged at £10 per night and is a short walk from Keswick town centre. It is adjacent to the River Greta and is also less than a 10-minute drive from Derwentwater.
Permission for the hotel was granted by the Lake District National Park Authority in October 2020 despite a strong public campaign against it, that was backed by Keswick Town Council. The Keswick Premier Inn hotel will offer a range of bedrooms, including 12 enhanced Premier Plus and family rooms.
Construction of the building started in October 2021. Karl Hetherington, the manager of the new Premier Inn Keswick, said at the time: “With autumn upon us we are really pushing on with recruitment for the new Keswick Premier Inn. We have already appointed an excellent new management team to run the new hotel with me, and we are now looking for a full team to join us and make our first hotel in the Lake District National Park a roaring success.
“My own experience with Premier Inn shows what’s possible working for the business having joined as a receptionist 10 years ago. I have benefitted from Premier Inn’s on the job training and development opportunities, and we are offering the same excellent training, as well as generous rates of pay, pension and benefits, to everyone joining us in Keswick.
“We are currently recruiting for around 25 new part- and full-time roles and we are especially keen to hear from people who are interested in joining us in the kitchen and in housekeeping team member positions. We offer loads of flexibility as a brand and as a community hotelier we are also keen for as many Keswick residents and those living in the wider area to join us as possible.”
When plans for the new hotel were first revealed a petition was set up because opposers claimed the new building didn't fit with the theme of the Lake District town. It didn't take long for the petition to collect thousands of signatures.
Concerns include changing the heritage of Keswick and pushing the town's infrastructure to the limits.
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