A NEW multi-million pound seafront hotel in Clacton is set to open its doors in February and provide a mini jobs boost to the town.

The Premier Inn is currently being built in Marine Parade West, overlooking the seafront gardens.

Construction is still under way, but Premier Inn owners Whitbread have now confirmed an opening date of February 23.

The £4million hotel will have 66 rooms and create up to 22 new jobs.

There will also be a restaurant for visitors.

Hotel manager Kristina Kerry said: “We are so excited to bring Premier Inn to Clacton.

“I have attended many events around the town recently and it is such a joy to hear from so many of the local people and businesses that they are just as excited as we are to see our Premier Inn fit into the seafront.”

The seafront site was once occupied by the historic Waverley Hotel, which dated back to 1878, but was most recently run as a Comfort Hotel until it closed in November 2012.

It was shut after going into administration for health and safety reasons.

Whitbread snapped up the site and soon unveiled plans for the new hotel. The plans were given the green light by Tendring Council in February last year.

Workers moved on to the site to bulldoze the old Comfort Hotel, before immediately starting work on the new Premier Inn.