Historic Portsmouth banquet hall to be demolished as planning permission granted

Royal Beach Hotel owner Zenda Ltd said the modern extension that houses the banquet hall has not been used since 2020 and the recent reduction in the number of bedrooms due to the conversion of one of its wings into flats meant it was no longer needed.

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City council planning officers said the demolition of the extension would be ‘an enhancement’ to the building’s appearance in a report approving the work, published on Monday.

The council approved the conversion of the hotel’s east wing into almost 30 flats at the end of last year – reducing the number of hotel bedrooms by 56.

Hotel managers said there was adequate capacity to cater for its guests elsewhere in the building and that the 1970s extension was detrimental to its location in the East Southsea conservation area.

‘Following the change of use to dwellings of the east wing of the hotel, the capacity of the hotel has reduced by 56 rooms,’ a statement submitted with the planning application said. ‘The remaining smaller hotel has significant internal reception rooms which has made the banquet hall redundant.’