There has been unusual 'out-of-this-world' activity spotted at the temporarily closed Swindon town centre Premier Inn.

The £17m all-electric hotel on Regent Street, closed its doors to the public at midday on Sunday, April 14, after its guests had checked out of their rooms.

Despite speculation that this was to film an advert, staff told the Advertiser that the closure was was for 'training'.

But during the site's temporary closure members of the public have spotted filming equipment and people in some very interesting alien costumes which was suggest that an advert was being filmed after all. 

One member of the public said: "Aliens have take over Premier Inn.

"It was very busy with people inside on the ground floor. It is still closed with the automatic doors working for people inside to get out but not for those outside.

Swindon Advertiser: Aliens inside the town centre Premier Inn

"I could see lots of electrical equipment piled inside with several large lamps focused on the building from the outside with large cabling on the floor.

"Inside, as well as filming crew and staff, were people dressed as old fashioned concepts of aliens and some space explorers could be seen.

"One man was dressed in dark greens robes with metal-like coils around him, silver skin and long spindly fingers, while a woman could be seen dressed in metal silver attire including a long robe."

The lighting equipment appears to have been supplied by Panalux.

The £17 million hotel first opened in October last year after 19 months of construction work.

It boasts 195 bedrooms across five storeys and at the time of opening it was estimated the accommodation would boost the town centre economy by driving an average of £3million in guest spending annually.

It was also the company's first all-electric hotel. 

Powered entirely by renewable energy, the five-storey 195-bedroom location operates without a connection to a mains gas supply. Instead, heat pumps and solar panels will turn heat and natural sunlight into power. 

It has been said by Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn, that the eco-friendly accommodation will be a model example for the chain's future hotels to follow.

Premier Inn’s other Swindon locations at Kembrey Business Park, Lydiard Fields Business Park, and near the Blunsdon Bypass, remain open.

The hotel will remain shut until 3pm on Friday, April 19, when the temporary closure is due to come to an end.