Images taken earlier this week have shown the UK's first all-electric hotel taking shape in Swindon town centre.
The new Premier Inn, which is under construction at a cost of £17m on the former Aspen House site in Regent Street, will have 197 rooms, a steakhouse and it comes with the promise of 45 full-time jobs.
Here's what some of our readers said about it on social media. Some made jokes and some were doubtful about demand. But a few welcomed the investment.
Rosie Killeen: "It beggars belief why this is portrayed as a selling point when its been built in a town centre devoid of any shops that anybody wants to shop in thanks to a lack of investment."
Angela Sindy Reid: "Hope they've got EV chargers in the car park."
Matthew Gunning: "Is there a hotel car park?"
Anika Clair: "I've lived in Swindon all my life. Not anti Swindon at all. Just one despairing for the state it is now in. It used to be so lovely and wonderful and with so much to see and do. Now we have a ton of hotels and not much else.
"What we really need in this town is actual rejuvenation of the town centre. It used to be such a bustling place, lots of shops to visit, unique, fun shops, and your everyday staples.
"While it's not the town's fault that places like Debenhams closed etc, it does make for quite a depressing stroll through the town centre to see hardly any of what we used to have circa 1990s to about 2000s. The Oasis is gone, a lot of the play parks for kids have gone too. Some improvements have been made here and there, which is lovely, but the town often feels so empty and desolate now."
Lee Sartin: "Important investment for the town centre. Great to see that a large hotel chain like Premier Inn have shown confidence in the town.
"Demand is there for extra rooms. Room occupancy is expected to reach an average of 70 per cent during 2023."
Sara Wheeler: "No idea why they are building another hotel as there’s barely enough business for us atm. Must be taking a home office contract!"
James Innes: "What a complete waste of money. The town centre is dying faster than they can fill shops they're already removing a third of the brunel shopping centre, shops are leaving left right and centre with no replacements. It's too expensive to open a store in Swindon centre."
Rob Parkin: "So they won’t be cooking on gas."
Marcus Kittridge: "Let's hope the demand is still there.
"Our business around the corner in Commercial Road, were told about this almost seven years ago.
"At that time there was a shortage of hotel rooms (Honda even bought a hotel). Not so sure now though as things have changed a lot. Honda has left the UK and their local supply chain companies have gone.
"Since Covid, big businesses use Teams, Facetime and Zoom rather than burn carbon travelling around the country for meetings.
"Several hotels have closed down and others are operating under capacity. Good luck but I think it's all a bit behind the curve."
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