Group opens £4m The Amble Inn

The Inn Collection Group’s £4m Amble Inn has officially opened its doors. The much-anticipated pub with rooms on Sandpiper Way opened to applause from people gathered to eat and drink at Northumberland’s newest inn.

Amble resident John Bird was among the first through the door of the 30-bedroom inn.

“Amble has long-needed somewhere like this,” he said. “We wish The Amble Inn all the very best. We will be regular customers and return soon.”

Purpose-built by Northumberland County Council’s development company Advance Northumberland, The Amble Inn is operated by award-winning pub company, The Inn Collection Group (ICG).

The ICG operations manager Paul Brown said: “This is a very proud day for us as a group and for the community here in Amble where people have been crying out for a hotel for many years.

“The Amble Inn fills a long-standing gap for year-round, affordable accommodation of this type as well as providing people with a fantastic new environment to eat and drink in. It is so rewarding seeing the project brought to life and being enjoyed by so many. We are looking forward to giving people a great experience whether they are staying, eating or enjoying a drink in the bar with us.”

Richard Wearmouth Chair of Advance Northumberland said: “I was delighted to help officially open The Amble Inn which is a fantastic asset both for visitors and the local community.

“Amble is an excellent example of a town which is undergoing a great economic transformation and I’m confident this new hotel will be a successful venture for many years to come.”

Civic Head and Amble West with Warkworth councillor Jeff Watson said: “It’s absolutely great being here today. To see something that people have worked for in Amble for so long and to have a hotel that’s going to meet the requirements of Amble’s growth is good to see.

“It’s something we really need in this area and seeing this fantastic development which has been done in conjunction with the County Council is welcomed. I see it as a really good sign for the future of Amble.”

Located off the A1068 leading into Amble from the south, the inn has created the equivalent of 35 full time jobs and has been designed with 30 bedrooms including a mix of family and twin rooms, with a 150-seated restaurant and bar. Further seating is provided in an external terrace along with a children’s play area, on site car parking and cycle spaces.

The development is part of a wider plan to enhance Coquet Enterprise Park while the inn will contribute to the town’s tourism offer by increasing the town’s accommodation availability while helping to attract additional visitors.

The Amble Inn will operate on the ICG model of providing value-for-money services including accommodation, dining and drinks all day, 365 days a year.

The Amble Inn was awarded a £448,500 grant from the Rural Growth Network’s Strategic Economic Infrastructure Fund, part of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) £6m capital programme that aims to support rural businesses and stimulate business growth within the rural areas of Northumberland, Durham and Gateshead.

Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP, said: “This is a substantial tourism investment in Amble supported through our Local Growth Fund. The inn is a welcome addition to the town’s tourism and commercial capability, increasing the area’s accommodation offer which will in turn help to attract valuable additional overnight visitors and further boost the economy.”

The expanding Inn Collection Group is the largest private bedroom provider in  Northumberland and has more than 271 bedrooms across its estate.

Its portfolio in Northumberland includes The Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses, The Lindisfarne Inn at Beal and The Hog’s Head Inn at Alnwick and The Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth. The group also operates The Seaton Lane Inn and The Kingslodge Inn in County Durham; The King’s Head Inn at Newton under Roseberry and the newly acquired Waterhead Hotel in Coniston, Cumbria.