MP officially opens 800th Premier Inn in Skegness

The official opening the Premier Inn's 800th hotel and the Cookhouse & Pub restaurant on Friday was a time for reflection and celebration for the 70 people employed there, with MP for Boston and Skegness Matt Warman cutting the ribbon.

He said: "Enterprises like this are about bring more people to Skegness - they are about huge amounts of effort from the council and Whitbread - I take no credit at all.

"It is ultimately about what it does for real people who get to work in this place and ,make their lives better."

East Lindsey District Council Leader, Coun Craig Leyland said: "This has been a six or seven year road to get here. It;s a real testament of the work of the council and Whitbread and everyone involved to get to this point and the staff here who are going to be employed. This is such a good news story."

Gary Sergeant, ELDC head of tourism and economic development, admitted it had not been an easy road. He said: "It's not been an easy journey.for sure, but it's one I've always believed in, and Coun Leyland always had faith we would bring quality jobs to Skegness all year round - and that is what we are doing and what we will continue to do."

Premier Inn manager Craig Turner said: "I've been with the company for nearly nine years now and this is the best Premier Inn I have worked in and best relationship with the restaurant.. The staff are massively driven as you can tell."

Front of house team Beth Wilson, 20, publicly thanked Premier Inn for the opportunity the company has given her. "I've lived on my own since I was 17 but before I came here I struggled top get a flat.because jobs only offered 0 hours.

"I started on 20 hours and got a studio flat and now I'm on 35 hours I can look for something bigger.

"This job has given me so much confidence and with so many hotels I could end up anywhere. It's the best job I have ever had."