Boutique hotel to open in Bexhill

The Driftwood, a six-bedroom hotel and restaurant, is being created in a former antiques shop at 40 Sackville Road.

The neglected three-storey building, which hasn’t been occupied for two years, is currently being completely gutted and refurbished.

With the interior design project being managed by Crave Design, London, those behind The Driftwood say it will offer ‘authentic luxury’.

The venture is the brainchild of local residents Greg Hunt, Li Hong and Seng Loy.

Seng said: “The Driftwood’s location, just a stone throw from the beach and De La Warr Pavilion, is ideal.

“The icing on the cake is we’ve also managed to attract young dynamic Austrian chef, Micheal Roessi .”

Micheal is the face of key food brands in Austria and according to the team behind The Driftwood, he has been described as the next Jamie Oliver.

The Driftwood’s 28-seat restaurant will offer a range of global cuisine and will open in February 2017.

Seng has decades of experience working in the hospitality sector, to include the iconic Waldorf Hotel, the five-star Langham in London and the award-winning Noel Arms in the Cotswolds.

He also runs Hastings House, a nine-bedroom guesthouse in St Leonards, and the two-bedroom Bexhill Beach Residence bed and breakfast.

Planning permission to change the use of the Sackville Road shop to a restaurant and the flats into bed and breakfast accommodation was granted on Monday (December 12).

The new business will provide the equivalent of 10 full time jobs.

For more information , visit www.thedriftwoodbexhill.co.uk or Facebook/TheDriftwoodBexhill.