Morecambe hotel revamped

The grade II*-listed Art Deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe is to be bought back to life with the aid of a £4 million grant from the North-West Regional Development Agency. Developer Urban Splash, which owns the freehold to the building, will create a 46-bedroom hotel with a public cafe bar, restaurant and bathhouse. A bid for £600,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund has already been submitted. The redevelopment of the hotel is a crucial part of the masterplan to regenerate the central seafront area of Morecambe. Urban Splash is also talking to Lancaster City Council about developing the adjacent promenade. A planning application for the hotel restoration has already been approved and work should start early next year.