Resort spending £15m so it can capitalise on staycation trend
BLUESTONE National Park Resort is hoping to expand by nearly a quarter in a bid to meet a growing demand from the UK ‘staycation’ trend.
The Pembrokeshire resort wants to spend £15m building 80 new “superior” lodges as well as adding a new restaurant in the nearby Black Pool Mill building.
Plans for the historic mill building, which include a heritage restaurant, were first announced earlier this year.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has granted Bluestone change-of-use planning permission to allow them to begin work to renovate the mill.
On the same day, Bluestone launched its preapplication consultation to build the 80 lodges saying it was determined to invest further in the business, despite the current pandemic.
Last year the holiday resort attracted 155,000 visitors to its 500-acre site.
It said its plans would also create more than 250 jobs in the construction
phase and almost 90 jobs following completion.
Liz Weedon, head of projects for Bluestone, said: “It has been a very challenging year for everyone; we are proud and privileged to be based in Pembrokeshire and see real potential for the county to significantly benefit from staycation demand in the future.”
She added that the resort was “truly excited” about the plans for Black Pool Mill, which is owned by Sir Edward Dashwood.
He said: “Black Pool
Mill has been in constant use since it was built in the 19th century by one of my ancestors who lived at Slebech Park.
“My mother first opened the mill as a tourist attraction and restaurant in the 1950s and I subsequently took over this business. It remained a delightful place to visit until economic necessity forced us to close it in the 1990s.
“I am thrilled that Bluestone have undertaken the roof and other renovations required to bring the Mill back to its former glory.”