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SHUTTING DOWN: The Studland Dene Hotel in Alum Chine closes next month
A PROMINENT seaside hotel in Alum Chine is to shut down next month, leaving its long-term future in the hands of town planners.
The Studland Dene Hotel and its popular restaurants will cease trading on October 7.
Four attempts to replace the hotel with flats have all been refused and leaseholder Peter Lyon claims the Victorian hotel is now "past its economic life".
But tourism boss Mark Smith remains convinced tourist accommodation could prosper on the site.
Two days after the hotel closes, a planning appeal will recommence to decide whether the site can be redeveloped with 14 residential apartments and a restaurant.
And a new "compromise" planning application has also been lodged with Bournemouth council, seeking permission to redevelop the site with holiday flats, residential apartments and a restaurant.
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Mr Lyons, who has run the Studland Dene for six years, said the hotel's two restaurants were popular but insisted: "The burden of the hotel is more than they can bear."
He added: "I don't think anyone believes we lose money but we do. I work 18 hours a day, seven days a week and we're still not getting anywhere."
He said there was an extensive list of work that needed doing at the hotel and yet occupancy rates were around 30 or 35 per cent.
"You can't bang your head against a brick wall forever. We've been doing it for six years and we haven't even made a crack in the wall," he added.
But Mr Smith, head of tourism, queried whether the new planning application would be proposing to build holiday flats if the current hotel was unviable. "As far as the council is concerned our view is unchanged," he said. "That site is a fantastic one for tourist accommodation and I can't see that ever changing."
Posted by: Emulated, Bournemouth on 7:28pm Thu 6 Sep 07
"Mr Smith, head of tourism, "That site is a fantastic one for tourist accommodation and I can't see that ever changing."
Dream on Mr Smith. The cost of hotels in Boournemouth is to much. Business rates are massive, VAT, staff, running costs and building maintainance.
No wonder people go abroad. We get the binge drinkers here who use cheap accomadation. Quality people won't spend their money on over priced hotels for whats in Bournemouth.
It will be turned into flats or stand empty to rot.
"Mr Smith, head of tourism, "That site is a fantastic one for tourist accommodation and I can't see that ever changing."
Dream on Mr Smith. The cost of hotels in Boournemouth is to much. Business rates are massive, VAT, staff, running costs and building maintainance.
No wonder people go abroad. We get the binge drinkers here who use cheap accomadation. Quality people won't spend their money on over priced hotels for whats in Bournemouth.
It will be turned into flats or stand empty to rot.
Posted by: alumchineboy, Alumchine on 10:19pm Thu 6 Sep 07
As a regular user of this place and close local , I must agree with the owner. Its way past its lifetime and is lovely but scruffy and a mix of add on extentions. If its replaced with something thats providing homes and a restaurant then surely thats better than at present - the look of the building from the side is of a 60's extention **** up and the building is scruffy and looks as if its close to falling down. |Come on planners - be realistic , it will be a positive move this. There will still be a restaurant for people to use and think of all the extra council tax you can charge and pay yourselves when its done ?
As a regular user of this place and close local , I must agree with the owner. Its way past its lifetime and is lovely but scruffy and a mix of add on extentions. If its replaced with something thats providing homes and a restaurant then surely thats better than at present - the look of the building from the side is of a 60's extention **** up and the building is scruffy and looks as if its close to falling down. |Come on planners - be realistic , it will be a positive move this. There will still be a restaurant for people to use and think of all the extra council tax you can charge and pay yourselves when its done ?
Posted by: Alan Pritchard, Bournemouth on 8:34am Fri 7 Sep 07
I'd like to see Mr Smith put his money where his mouth is. If he is so convinced that the hotel is so fantastic, he should leave the Council and take it over. He might change his mind if he had to work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, and be told (effectively) what a bad job he was doing.
I'd like to see Mr Smith put his money where his mouth is. If he is so convinced that the hotel is so fantastic, he should leave the Council and take it over. He might change his mind if he had to work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, and be told (effectively) what a bad job he was doing.
Posted by: fedupwithjobsworths, Moordown on 9:01am Fri 7 Sep 07
What does Bournemouth’s Head of Tourism actually do? No doubt he attends lots of meetings (the practical alternative to work) and produces lots of reports, but has he ever actually achieved anything?
What does Bournemouth’s Head of Tourism actually do? No doubt he attends lots of meetings (the practical alternative to work) and produces lots of reports, but has he ever actually achieved anything?
Posted by: beachhut, southbourne on 9:52am Fri 7 Sep 07
[quote][bold]fedupwithjobsworths[/bold] wrote:
What does Bournemouth’s Head of Tourism actually do? No doubt he attends lots of meetings (the practical alternative to work) and produces lots of reports, but has he ever actually achieved anything? [/quote] No. He would like to but has difficulty coming to terms with reality. He only employs yes people, that make him feel good, anyone with real forward ideas has to go. Would you call Bournemouth a tourism mecca, just take a look at Bournemouth's current claims to fame( venues etc.)how many are actualy in Bournemouth. So what has he acheived please tell us, as it seems to get worse year on year.
fedupwithjobsworths wrote:
What does Bournemouth’s Head of Tourism actually do? No doubt he attends lots of meetings (the practical alternative to work) and produces lots of reports, but has he ever actually achieved anything?
No. He would like to but has difficulty coming to terms with reality. He only employs yes people, that make him feel good, anyone with real forward ideas has to go. Would you call Bournemouth a tourism mecca, just take a look at Bournemouth's current claims to fame( venues etc.)how many are actualy in Bournemouth. So what has he acheived please tell us, as it seems to get worse year on year.
Posted by: Martin, Bournemouth on 9:58am Fri 7 Sep 07
I was a hotelier for some time, and I can honestly say that it is a very hard life! Reward is scant, and there are few "normal" people that are regulars, just the stag and hen brigade who trash the place, even the most select hotels.
I went to Alum Chine the other day, and it has totally altered over the last few years.
It would be a prime site for flats, and I feel that the head of Tourism is being pedantic; Alum Chine has lost it as a tourist spot, so why try and perpetuate what is obvously not a viable business? Let the poor man retire! At least, this would not be building flats in areas of already high density (but the car parking in the locality desperately needs sorting out!)
I was a hotelier for some time, and I can honestly say that it is a very hard life! Reward is scant, and there are few "normal" people that are regulars, just the stag and hen brigade who trash the place, even the most select hotels.
I went to Alum Chine the other day, and it has totally altered over the last few years.
It would be a prime site for flats, and I feel that the head of Tourism is being pedantic; Alum Chine has lost it as a tourist spot, so why try and perpetuate what is obvously not a viable business? Let the poor man retire! At least, this would not be building flats in areas of already high density (but the car parking in the locality desperately needs sorting out!)
Posted by: lordlardy, Bournemouth on 10:40pm Fri 7 Sep 07
The Studland Dene Hotel has been a prominent sight for as long as I can remember and that goes back some 40-odd years when I learnt the basics of football on 'the green' directly opposite. However, life has moved on and yet the Studland Dene has been unable to for whatever reasons.
Studland Road has been and remains the subject of redevelopment so dear councillors please wake up, join us in the Year 2007, and allow the future to evolve in what will be a prime development opportunity.
A sad loss indeed but a necessary one.
The Studland Dene Hotel has been a prominent sight for as long as I can remember and that goes back some 40-odd years when I learnt the basics of football on 'the green' directly opposite. However, life has moved on and yet the Studland Dene has been unable to for whatever reasons.
Studland Road has been and remains the subject of redevelopment so dear councillors please wake up, join us in the Year 2007, and allow the future to evolve in what will be a prime development opportunity.
Posted by: local, westbourne on 1:06am Sat 8 Sep 07
[bold]bold[/bold] planners ,who have been so forward thinking on so many projects now seem to have so many times refused the studland dene planning permission . i have l ved the hotel over the years ,but come on ,it now needs a huge amount of money to make it any star ,can you help don't think so .this fine location needs to be developed to a high standard take it's place as a flagship project the council will be proud of.
planners ,who have been so forward thinking on so many projects now seem to have so many times refused the studland dene planning permission . i have l ved the hotel over the years ,but come on ,it now needs a huge amount of money to make it any star ,can you help don't think so .this fine location needs to be developed to a high standard take it's place as a flagship project the council will be proud of.
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC!
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC!
[quote][bold]Kev OB[/bold] wrote:
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC![/quote] very true,it was a great meeting place run down deliberately to get developed.
Kev OB wrote:
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC!
very true,it was a great meeting place run down deliberately to get developed.
[quote][bold]Kev OB[/bold] wrote:
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC![/quote] very true,it was a great meeting place run down deliberately to get developed.
Kev OB wrote:
I have lived in Alum Chine for 12 years and seen the area fill to beyond sensible limits with 2 bed flats. We are now saturated with flats and the single road out and parking is beyond a joke. If this Victorian building is permitted to go like all the others, we will be losing even more history from the area. It is so obvious the existing owner bought this site with a view to making a quick buck by redeveloping. He has only been here for 6 yrs and already everyone knows of all the refusals. AC's went the same way a few years ago and if this is allowed, there will be no Public House local to all the residents. If the current owner cannot make a business out of this location, he should try something else because I am sure someone else could make it work... Keep saying no BBC!
very true,it was a great meeting place run down deliberately to get developed.
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