Gatwick Airport‘s new owners have announced plans to open a mid-market hotel in the North Terminal.
Subject to planning approval, work on the 192-bedroom ‘Hampton by Hilton’ property will start next year to be completed in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The hotel will be created on the site of Longbridge House, which until now has been under-utilised office space.
Head of Property at GatwickAirport Emma Rees said: “This new hotel development will be fantastic news for passengers who will have the choice to stay in one of the existing four star hotels in the North and South Terminals or stay in this more affordable but luxury three star hotel when it opens in 2012.
“It is also a great example of the innovative, more passenger-focused approach the new leadership team is taking to managing the airport assets, as is the speed at which this deal was agreed.”
GatwickAirport is investing almost £1 billion to modernise facilities. Investment in the South Terminal is geared towards upgrading the 1950s building facilities while investment in the North Terminal is designed to support an increase in capacity to accommodate a further 10 million passengers a year over the next decade.
By Linsey McNeill
