Sittingbourne's Coniston Hotel to reopen in spring
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Kent’s newest hotel is to open in the Spring.
A multi-million pound revamp of The Coniston in Sittingbourne is
turning it into a four-star complex.
The work will complete the transformation of a hotel closed for
several years after tabloid stories about its role as a base for
asylum seekers.
Before this unwanted publicity, The Coniston had traded for more
than a 100 years, many of which as Sittingbourne’s only hotel.
The hotel was sold in January 2003 but remained boarded up until
2006 when local businessmen Ernie Berntsen and Chris Richardson
bought it. They previously owned fire alarm systems company IFP in
Upchurch and formed Bedfont Construction (Coniston LLP) to set up
this first hotel development in their property portfolio.
They have spent four years renovating the original Coniston
House, built as a private residence dating back to 1880.
The new hotel will provide conference and banqueting facilities as
well as a ballroom, 71 en-suite bedrooms, eight suites, and a
restaurant seating 100 diners.
"The fact that the hotel was such a prominent and successful
feature in Sittingbourne in times gone by, has driven us to embark
on this project with the objective of creating a sustainable
facility for the community as a whole," said Mr Bernsten. "We feel
privileged to have the opportunity to regenerate such an important
asset for the town and look forward to opening the doors once
again.
"We believe The Coniston will provide a refreshing alternative
in North Kent for businesses wanting real value and four-star
facilities and services outside London. Equally we are perfectly
positioned for leisure travellers from Belgium, Holland, France and
Germany; all markets that have already shown a substantial interest
in our property."
Wednesday, February 03 2010
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