A casino which has been empty for five years could be demolished and replaced with a "no-frills" hotel.

The formerly glamorous haunt at the top of Queen's Road, Brighton has become a derelict building since the Grosvenor opened a new casino above the former ABC cinema in East Street, Brighton, in 2001.

Now it could be torn down to make way for a ten-storey Ibis hotel with 140 bedrooms a 60-seat restaurant and bar.

Twenty new jobs would be created.

Plans from French hotel group Accor for the venue, previously known as Sergeant Yorke's, have been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council.

The chain has opened 47 other hotels in the UK and pride themselves in providing "excellent value" at a "convenient location".

No parking would be provided but planners argue hotel bosses would be encouraging guests to use sustainable transport because it would be 100 yards from the train station, next door to several bus stops and a taxi rank.

They said the hotel would provide a 'travel options' notice board next to the standard tourist information board which would list bus and train times and routes in the area as well as advertise the benefits of cycle tourism.

Etienne Denaroncier, from Accord, said: "Brighton is one of the top places for people to go for a break away so it is important for us to move there.

"It is crucial for us to be centrally located near the train station and we are committed to encourage customers to use public transport as much as possible for environmental reasons."

The 1908 former casino was originally built as a garage and was part of a group of buildings used by the railway station. It later became an antique furniture salesroom and restoration workshop and opened for gambling in October 1971.

Plans for a restaurant and bar were approved by the city council in March 2004 but never came to fruition.

The first application for a hotel on the site was refused by the authority in September and now amended plans show a reduced number of bedrooms, improved, roof and change of materials used.

The application will be discussed by the city council's planning committee in the next few months.

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