MINEHEAD could become home to “the biggest hotel brand in the UK”, Premier Inn and a Brewers Fayre pub/restaurant.

The British budget hotel chain and restaurant chain, both owned by Whitbread, have submitted a planning application to West Somerset Council to build a 102-bed hotel on land at Seaward Way in Minehead.

The proposal claims that the construction period will create 84 full-time equivalent temporary jobs over the build period, which is estimated to last for 12 months.

Combined, the restaurant and the hotel will provide 49 full-time jobs in the area, 43 of which could go to local people in West Somerset.

Somerset County Gazette:

ARTIST'S impression of what the restaurant could look like on Seaward Way. 

Linda Hatch, chairman of Minehead Hospitality Association, which represents a number of privately owned hotels and bed & breakfasts in Minehead, said the tourism industry should not feel threatened.

She said: “I have had no-one come to me yet with outrageous complaints. “I don’t think it will be an issue for the privately-owned businesses because I think it’s a different clientele.

“People tend to use Premier Inn for one night but I still think those wishing to come to Minehead on holiday would like to experience the novelty of staying in a familyrun hotel.

“But until it is here and in business I can’t really predict what will happen.”

Minehead town councillor for the central ward, Gary Miele, believes that the application is “absolutely brilliant news”.

He said: “The fact that a national chain company wants to come to Minehead is fantastic news. “The advertising that Minehead will get will be excellent – it’s a win-win situation.

“There will be no need to rearrange the roads because the layout for the project is already there. “And the number of jobs that it is going to create in Minehead is brilliant news.”

A decision on the planning application should be made before May 15.