WORK on the new Premier Inn hotel at Bridgwater Gateway has been completed thanks to the combined efforts of several local businesses.

During the building of the 100-bed hotel by main contractors Carter Lauren, numerous local sub-contractor companies have been involved, together with labourers employed directly from the local area, including Hopkins Concrete, Roberts Skips, Somerset Carpenters and RJD Bricklaying, all based in Bridgwater, and Premier Fencing in Cheddar.

Around 30 jobs will be created at the new Premier Inn, located on one of the prime road frontage plots on the £150 million, 100-acre Bridgwater Gateway scheme.

Phil Wade, development manager for Bridgwater Gateway, said: “We are delighted to have been able to support so many local businesses during the construction of the Premier Inn, and to use the existing talent in the area.

“In addition, the local branches of Jewsons, Travis Perkins, Screwfix and Worsley have been kept busy, not to mention the boost to local cafes, bakeries and sandwich shops that has resulted from almost 100 workers being on site during construction.

Steve Leahy, chairman of Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce, has been operating a “Supply the Supplier” scheme during the construction of the hotel.

He said: “Although the local labour force understands that companies such as Premier Inn Whitbread have their own preferred tier one contractors, they have been able to react to smaller parts of the contract, step up and deliver, ensuring that both the project got delivered on time and that a share of the build fees went to local labour.

"With a local labour force primarily made up of SME and micro businesses, it’s a breath of fresh air dealing with projects such as Bridgwater Gateway, which truly ‘get’ the need and indeed the benefits of engaging with local companies.”