Delight as construction of Southend Easy Hotel is underway

Work has begun on the huge Southend hotel, which is planned to accommodate 108 rooms.

The bright orange hotel, managed by Easy Hotel, is being built on the site of the former Prudential building, which was only ten floors.

Plans were approved in June 2018 to add on the extra three floors.

Prices for the rooms will start at £19.99, and the site will include 140 cycle spaces, but no spaces for cars.

Ron Woodley, the deputy leader of Southend Council, was delighted that work was underway. He said: “All investment must be welcomed in Southend.

“We’re trying to encourage people to stay longer and spend more money.

“Investment is key, otherwise we will be stuck in the past.

“All investment in the town is positive.”

Mr Woodley added, and responded to potential criticism of the hotel’s design. He added: “When the university accommodation was put up with lots of colours on it, people were not happy.

“People saw it as an eyesore.

“Over time, you get used to it.”

Bright orange cladding will show the EasyJet brand, despite the airline and the hotel companies being separate.

When the application was submitted, planning officers at Southend Council raised concerns over the “garish and brash” cladding “which would harm the character and appearance of the area”.

Despite the huge scale of the hotel, the size was not an issue for bosses at the council, who stated at the time: “The size, scale, mass and bulk of the development would not be materially out of character with the surrounding area.”

EasyHotel was contacted for a statement.