MAYOR of Christchurch Cllr Josephine Spencer broke new ground when she ceremoniously cut the first sod for a ground-breaking riverside hotel and penthouse complex on the former Pontins holiday camp site.

The plush Captains Club Hotel project, first mooted more than two years ago to break the planning deadlock over replacement of a key tourist facility following the closure of Pontins in 1998, is due to be completed by next summer.

With a stepped profile designed to resemble a cruise liner, the three-storey building will provide a 17-bedroom luxury hotel complete with bar, restaurant, conference suite and a spa.

The top floor will house a further 12 two and three-bedroom suites, all with river views, which will be privately owned by investors who have paid upwards of £500,000 each.

As well as boosting the town's tourism trade when completed, the construction of the £6.5 million hotel is also aiding the local economy with Hurn-based Mowlem the main contractors and other local firms involved in the design work.

"This is an exciting time for Christchurch and we look forward to delivering the town centre a high quality hotel that everyone will be proud of," said Tim Lloyd, a former Christchurch restaurateur and Chamber of Trade president, and director of the Platinum One Hotels concern behind the Captain's Club.

After taking the controls of a mechanical digger to cut the first sod, Cllr Spencer said: "This is something we have been looking forward to in Christchurch for a long-time. I can't wait to see it when it is completed."

First published: October 3