Alcohol licence approved for 'workers' hub' hotel

An alcohol licence has been granted for a hotel described as a "workers' hub" for a nearby freeport and industrial area.

The Commercial on Middlesbrough Road, South Bank, is expected to mainly serve people working at Teesworks when it opens and employ 13 people in a first wave of jobs.

Addressing two crime-related objections, applicant Chris Hankinson told Redcar and Cleveland Council the 42-room hotel's bar and restaurant was a "necessary evil" for guests.

The authority's regulatory committee granted the licence for alcohol sales and music from 11:00 to 23:00 at a meeting on Tuesday after three minutes of deliberation.

Hankinson said: "The whole purpose of the alcohol licence isn't some sort of big business money-making scheme that we're doing.

"It's just a necessary evil, if you like, having somewhere guests can unwind afterwards and escape the four walls of a room, relax and have some food."

He said it was located directly opposite the freeport, making it the closest hotel to Teesworks and the port.

"It's very much geared to being a workers' hub," Hankinson said.

He added they were recruiting and aiming to open "as soon as we can", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Labour-led authority's committee chair councillor Stuart Smith announced their decision to grant the licence, saying: "We're more than happy with explanations and we believe that you will, and you must, comply with the conditions and objectives."

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