Window of opportunity: Glazing out marks countdown for The Seaburn Inn

The first window of bookings has opened up just as the last glass window has been installed at The Seaburn Inn, an exciting new addition to Sunderland’s seafront.

Multi-award-winning The Inn Collection Group’s new 40-bed pub with rooms that offers stunning views over Sunderland’s coastline is now fully glazed out and watertight, and the final fit out now begins to get the venue ready for its summer start.

And the company behind the inn, which includes sea view bedrooms, an outdoor terrace,  dining areas and playpark for customers’ children, has announced accommodation bookings are now live, ahead of The Seaburn Inn’s doors swinging open in June.

Metnor Construction, the firm contracted to build the venue – which stands next door to STACK Seaburn – will lead the final phase of construction, as the interior is made-over with a stylish finish, with references to the seaside location.

The Seaburn Inn was originally expected to open at the end of 2020, but national lockdowns meant that construction was stalled for a number of months.  However, work on the three-storey venue has progressed at full-pace since July, and everything is now on course for completion within weeks.

Dan Evans, operations manager at The Inn Collection Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see the final pane of glass installed, to make the building watertight and ready for the interior fit out to begin in earnest.

“It’s been a challenging year since we started work on this development, but that makes the opening all the more exciting for us, and as we reach this milestone, we can start to focus on June and welcoming people to our venue, which will be a fantastic addition to the coastline.”

The Seaburn Inn development is part of The Inn Collection Group’s ‘buy and build’ expansion as the pubco delivers accelerated growth plans to reach 22 freehold sites by the end of March 2021.

The Alchemy-backed group, which is supported with banking via OakNorth, has venues in Northumberland, the Lake District, County Durham, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.  Its pubs-with-rooms brand includes all day, everyday food service and affordable accommodation.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We have a fantastic seaside in Sunderland that is already hugely popular, but adding to it with venues like this one will enhance our offer and attract more people to Sunderland.

“As construction nears completion, and as we begin to emerge from lockdown, it’s exciting to have new places to look forward to visiting and enjoying.  I am sure this will become a hugely popular destination for day-trippers and overnight visitors as well as people who live here and are looking for a nice place to eat and drink.”

As well as accommodation developments, the seaside is set to see more leisure venues take shape, with an £820,000 investment to regenerate under-used and historic buildings along the Seaburn and Roker promenade.  Plans will see a former toilet block at Roker, along with the former Bay Shelter and the old tram shelter at Seaburn, transformed into cafés and restaurants, and plans are also in place for 12 beach huts, that will stand just north of House of Zen.  There will also be upgrades to the infrastructure of Seaburn Camp.  Occupiers of the heritage spaces were announced earlier this year.

The investment is all part of a vision to establish Sunderland as a healthy, vibrant, dynamic smart city that attracts people to live, work and play.