A HOTEL at Southend Airport is celebrating its first anniversary.

The four-star, 129-room Holiday Inn, which opened on October 1, 2012, is next to the Harp House Roundabout and just a few minutes’ walk from the airport terminal and railway station.

General manager Steve Brazil said: “What is so great is that as well as catering for guests staying the night before or after an early or late flight, we are equally getting large numbers of people in Essex for both leisure and business staying with us at the airport.”

The Holiday Inn offers a conference and banqueting facility in the Laker Suite – the name selected as a tribute to Sir Freddie Laker, the airline entrepreneur who operated from Southend Airport in the Fifties.

There is also a choice of smaller meeting rooms.

Mr Brazil added: “We’re growing more popular all the time as a wedding, party and conference venue. At the moment, our big focus is on Christmas, and all our party nights and events are selling out really fast.”

To celebrate the first anniversary, anyone who makes a purchase from the restaurant and bar between 7pm today and 7pm on Tuesday, October 8, and says to a member of the hotel staff: “Happy first birthday Holiday Inn” wil