A Hilton Hotel for Weymouth (From Dorset Echo)

A Hilton Hotel for Weymouth

9:39am Thursday 17th July 2008

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A LUXURY 140-bed four-star Hilton Hotel has been revealed as the centrepiece of the Weymouth Pavilion redevelopment.

Developer Howard Holdings today revealed that the giant Hilton Hotels group was its preferred operator for the seafront site.

Howard regional director Gary Charman said: "We are delighted with the progress we have made to date in agreeing outline terms with Hilton Hotels.

"This would represent a real coup for Weymouth and is a clear endorsement of the type of high quality occupiers that a scheme like this will be able to attract to the town.

"In addition to providing 120 local jobs and a major boost to the local economy, we see this hotel as the cornerstone of the development and a huge draw for other quality restaurant operators and retailers.

"It will be the first modern, purpose-built hotel to be built in Weymouth for decades and its waterside location means that it will offer spectacular views of the bay if the scheme goes ahead. We look forward to finalising the deal with Hilton in the weeks ahead."

Hilton was founded in 1919, is one of the world's leading hotel operators and has more than 3,000 luxury hotels.

If planning permission is granted, Howard said it was hoped to open the four-star luxury hotel in Weymouth in time for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said it welcomed the Hilton announcement. Special projects spokesman Coun Howard Legg said: "I am delighted at the prospect of welcoming the Hilton to Weymouth.

"This will be the first Hilton Hotel in Dorset and a quality international brand like this will bring with it international tourists which can only benefit the borough's economy."

Management committee chairman Coun Mike Goodman said: "I welcome such a prestigious company as Hilton Hotels to Weymouth.

"The importance of a prestige company like this isn't just the name but the world wide booking service that comes with it which will give us access to the international tourism market."

Howard Holdings is staging an exhibition of plans for the redevelopment of the Pavilion and ferry terminal site at the Mulberry Centre on Commercial Road, Weymouth.

Entry is free of charge and the exhibition is open to the public from until 5.30pm today, from 10am to 6pm tomorrow and from 10am to 6pm on Saturday.

Following the exhibition, Howard expects to submit a formal planning application for the site in August.

If it is successful then construction work is scheduled to start on site in early 2009 with completion due towards the end of 2011.

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