Demolition works to make way for a new seafront Premier Inn will begin soon.

The Old Fire Station in High Street, Bognor, will be fenced off from March 25 for demolition, with the work estimated to take six to eight weeks.

The car park access from the Clarence Road side will be removed.

It is the start of the work for the construction of a 116-bedroom Premier Inn on the seafront.

The plans were approved by Arun District Council last October.

The Argus: The Old Fire Station in BognorThe Old Fire Station in Bognor (Image: Google Maps)

Whitbread PLC, the hotel owners, said its planned £13 million investment to bring the hotel to the town will create 30 jobs on opening.

Louise Woodruff, property acquisitions manager for Whitbread, which runs 849 Premier Inns in the UK, said: “We’re fortunate at Premier Inn to have a customer base made up equally of business and leisure customers. 

"The wide appeal of Premier Inn helps to drive the high year-round occupancy we experience across our network and informs the investment case for new locations like Bognor Regis seafront. 

"The planning consent gives us the go-ahead to bring forward our multi-million-pound investment in Bognor town centre, create new jobs and help to support the local economy through the year-round spending of our guests.  It is fantastic news for us and the town.”

The Argus: A mock up of the plansA mock up of the plans (Image: Whitbread PLC)

An economic impact assessment submitted as part of Whitbread’s planning application calculated guests of the hotel will spend around £2.8 million per year in Bognor’s economy.

The hotel was designed to reference the historic Regency style of buildings in the town, reflecting the rich history of Bognor in a contemporary and sustainable way.

The building will face the seafront with a café terrace along the Esplanade. Customers will access the hotel by Clarence Road. 

The hotel will be powered by energy generated from renewable sources with air-source heat pumps, heat recovery units and solar panels on site.

Once demolition work is complete, there will be site works before the construction of the hotel begins in September this year.

It is estimated the hotel will be completed in October 2025.