THE boss of Southend’s only four-star hotel has launched a campaign to allow the venue to use part of the beach for wedding ceremonies.
Jacqui Harris, managing director of the Roslin Beach Hotel, in Thorpe Bay, is circulating a petition and has already gathered 200 signatures of support.
Mrs Harris wants to create a £20,000 timber decking area, complete with a promenade and a removable canopy, by the sea opposite the hotel, in Thorpe Esplanade.
However, the application has been recommended for refusal by Southend Council planning officers, who have concerns about the loss of public space.
Yet Mrs Harris insists the development would be in keeping with the style of the hotel, and wouldn’t pose a problem to the public.
She said: “We have lots of local support and I have been taking calls from excited brides-to-be who want to get married on the beach.
“We would be using the decking for a total of 56 hours per year and the rest of the time the decking can be used by the public and we will even maintain it.
“I can understand some people’s fears about the decking, but I think there has been some misunderstanding.
“We do not want to create something that will blot the sea landscape.”
Mrs Harris had hoped to have the decking in place for the spring and summer season. The decking would be removed in winter.
Fears had been raised by residents the development could lead to privatisation of the beach and encourage private businesses to put up even more decking.
Dominic Berry, commercial director at the hotel, said that was not the case, and said the decking would be used for a maximum of two hours at a time.
He said: “We don’t utilise the beach enough, and this will in fact put the focus and spotlight on the high-quality beaches we have.”
The application will be discussed by the development control committee on Wednesday.
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