BICESTER is set to get a new hotel and about 50 new jobs after a developer sold a slice of its land to a national hotel and pub chain.

Budget hotel chain Premier Inn Hotels paid £2.2m for a 2.47-acre site at Kingsmere, off Oxford and Middleton Stoney Roads, and plans to build an 80-bed hotel and 220- cover Brewers Fayre restaurant/pub.

The hotel and pub site already have outline planning permission, and parent company Whitbread said it would submit an application for detailed planning permission shortly.

If approved, building work would start early next year and the hotel and pub could be open next autumn.

Kingsmere, owned by Countryside Properties, also has planning permission for 1,585 homes, a health village, new primary and secondary schools, shops and a community centre.

The move was welcomed by business group Bicester Chamber of Commerce. Spokesman Ben Jackson said: “This re-affirms Bicester is seen as a key place to be and to invest in.

“The accommodation will further establish Bicester as a destination location and assist in maximising the opportunity for local businesses in tapping into this growing audience.”

Acquisition manager for Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, Richard Pearson, said: “We’re expanding because our customers keep telling us they want more hotels.

“Our Bicester hotel takes us closer to our target of 65,000 bedrooms within five years and, importantly, represents a significant investment and an opportunity for approximately 50 new jobs in the hotel and restaurant.

“We’re looking forward to working towards a positive planning consent from Cherwell District Council, pushing on with construction and opening our doors to our customers as soon as possible.”