SIGNIFICANT council investment in a dual-branded hotel in Bournemouth has edged a step closer despite conflicting comments on the state of the hotel market from one of the town’s most experienced hoteliers.

Hotel general manager Andy Woodland, who has been involved with the tourist-driven field for 34 years in Bournemouth, spoke of his concerns if the proposals for a major hotel on the site adjacent to the BIC get the go ahead.

The plans for Bournemouth Borough Council to work in partnership with internationally recognised names in the hotel sector go before cabinet later this month.

Following a detailed public and private meeting of the council’s corporate services overview and scrutiny panel, members voted to support the recommendation for the authority to invest in the new hotel on the grounds of the former Winterborne Hotel, Georgian Hotel and Beacon Road car park.

As reported by the Daily Echo, town hall sources have voiced their fears over the “high risk” investment in a multi-million-pound hotel project.

If approved, the project would see the local authority fund the construction of the hotel, before a private operator would run the it. The council would collect rent to pay off the loan and contribute to its ongoing budget.

However, addressing the panel as an industry expert, Mr Woodland, who is vice-chairman of Bournemouth Accommodation and Hotels Association and chairman of the joint Bournemouth and Poole tourism and management association, said the hotel trade in the town could not take the number of four-star beds being rumoured.

“I would say Bournemouth could not sustain taking 270 bedrooms full stop. That is where we have got to redevelop the existing bedroom stock,” he said.

“If we’re just adding to the bedroom stock we will get ourselves into big trouble. We have to replace 270 bedrooms out of the equation before we can even put 270 bedrooms into the equation.”

Cllr Philip Broadhead, cabinet member responsible for economic growth, questioned the weight and impartiality of Mr Woodland’s comments given he was a “rival” operator to the proposed scheme, but Mr Woodland said his comments were on his integrity as a hotelier who has a love for Bournemouth.

Council officers admitted they had not examined a marketing plan, despite a representative at the meeting highlighting one was submitted in the bid for the hotel.

Following an exchange with officers at the meeting, Cllr Don McQueen, chair of the scrutiny panel, said: “Clearly the council has not looked at the marketing plan, nor does it understand the marketing plan that has been proposed.”

Cllr Philip Broadhead, cabinet member responsible for economic growth, said: “Bournemouth is going from strength to strength and it’s fantastic that this development is attracting some of the world’s most prestigious global names in the hotel industry who are clearly interested in investing in the town.”

“This proposal is founded on a solid business case that has been subject to due diligence and validated by leading experts in the commercial property and hotel market.

“Like many local authorities across the country, Bournemouth is using its advantageous funding opportunities to create a portfolio of income generating assets.”

The name of the preferred bidder, including the hotel operator and financial business case, is expected to go before cabinet on February 27.