Nightclub at Hunstanton’s Golden Lion Hotel will be turned into new bedrooms

An old town nightclub will be converted into hotel bedrooms after a planning application was approved.

The former night-time venue in Hunstanton’s Golden Lion Hotel is set to be turned into five new rooms, with West Norfolk Council giving the proposals a seal of approval yesterday.

The nightclub section, which was a later addition to the original building, is located to the northeast and is one-and-a-half storeys in height.

It currently consists of a toilet block, a large open area and smaller rooms to the rear. The five bedrooms which will take their place will all be en-suites which are to be used in conjunction with the hotel.

Works will also see the restoration and reuse of Crittall windows and blocked up doorways in a bid to preserve and enhance the character of the historic building.

A planning report from West Norfolk Council says: “The site would see an increase of bedroom spaces with no additional parking provided.

“However, due to its sustainable location, with parking provisions adjacent and nearby the site, and the original use of a nightclub, the additional vehicular traffic is seen as limited and would not cause a detrimental impact to the highway network.”

It has been an exciting year for the historic Golden Lion, which reopened in March this year after a major refurbishment.

Strata Architects was at the heart of the refurbishment, which started with a full ground floor revamp which cost around £1million.

The hotel was the centre point of the vision of Henry L’estrange in the mid-1800s as he looked to create a new seaside resort.

It was the only building between the village of Heacham and the lighthouse on the cliffs for more than 14 years.

Originally called The New Inn, The Golden Lion has welcomed visitors for nearly 180 years.