Work to restart on new £6million hotel to breathe new life into derelict Sunderland seafront site

It was hoped that the new 40-bedroom, four-storey The Seaburn Inn would open on the site of the former Pullman Lodge in Winter 2020. However construction work, which began in February, had to be halted in line with restrictions to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Now, however, construction work is resuming with a view to opening in spring 2021.

Owners The Inn Collection Group already have a number of successful pubs and hotels in their portfolio including The Seaton Lane Inn in East Durham; The Amble Inn in Northumberland; The Bamburgh Castle Inn in Seahouses; The Black Swan in Helmsley, North Yorkshire and The Kingslodge Inn in Durham City.

With people unable or reluctant to travel abroad this summer, bosses believe the hotels will benefit from the rise in demand for staycations.

Managing director Sean Donkin said: “We are very excited for work to restart on The Seaburn Inn. We have secured a prime seafront site in Sunderland during an exciting time for the city as it gears up for its coastal regeneration plans.

“We believe staycations will be on the rise over the coming years too, which holds the opening of The Seaburn Inn, plus all our other inns across the north, in good stead.”

The Seaburn Inn will include a bar and dining area, as well as a children’s play park for customers, and is part of wider regeneration plans for the seafront.

Last week, work also resumed on the neighbouring STACK container village, a £2.5million development which will host a mix of food, drink and leisure traders.

It was due to open this spring, but that date was pushed back to the forthcoming August Bank Holiday weekend after work was halted.

Other plans along the seafront include a former toilet block at Roker, along with the former Bay Shelter and the old tram shelter at Seaburn, transformed into cafés and restaurants. 12 beach huts will also be added along the seafront.

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