Boost for Sunderland’s seaside with plans for 40-bed inn

Sunderland City Council has agreed terms with The Inn Collection Group for the development of a ‘pub with rooms’, in what is the latest step forward in the transformation of Seaburn.

The three-storey venue, which will go before Sunderland’s planning committee by the end of the month, will be located next to the proposed STACK Seaburn development.

The Inn Collection Group is a North East firm that has been expanding its portfolio across the region, including the purchase of The Seaton Lane Inn in Seaton, The Hog’s Head Inn in Alnwick and The Bamburgh Castle Inn in Seahouses.

The company says the new inn will be a major asset to Seaburn, boosting the area’s tourism capacity at a time when the number of people visiting Sunderland continues to grow.

Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, said: “We are delighted to have secured this site in Seaburn which will be an exciting addition to our portfolio of pubs with rooms in the north’s best loved destinations including the Northumberland coast, Durham and the Lake District.

“The Seaburn development, alongside STACK, will bolster Sunderland’s economy, both in terms of job creation — from positions generated during the construction phase — and by permanent full-time roles created by the new inn.

“It will fill a gap in the market for visitor accommodation, encouraging people to extend their stay and spending in Sunderland and provide local people with a new place to eat and drink, in a first-class location.”

This isn’t the only new accommodation planned for the city either, with Holiday Inn proposing a new 120 room 5-storey hotel at Keel Square, which is also set to go before Sunderland’s planning committee in the next few weeks.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Seaburn is the jewel in Sunderland’s crown, and a place that both residents and visitors can enjoy.

“We want to enhance its natural charm and ensure it becomes a destination-seaside – the STACK proposals were a huge step forward, and add to that the renovation work that will be going ahead to our stunning old buildings on Seaburn promenade, and you can see that we are really beginning to deliver a transformational programme for the area.

“And we will not rest on our laurels to ensure we attract further investment that helps create a really special place.

“This additional accommodation will complement the Grand Hotel and Roker Hotel, and will contribute to the vibrant seafront location we know Seaburn can be.”

Sunderland seaside recently received a £820k cash boost, with plans to regenerate under-used and historic buildings around Seaburn and Roker receiving the greenlight from officials.

This is all part a wider £1.5bn investment programme aimed at transforming the seaside, city centre and residential areas of Sunderland through various development projects.

If the inn receives planning consent, work will begin by the end of the year, and plans to open by December 2020.