THE first hotel to be built in Barry in more than 30 years has been officially opened - and is already totally booked out by international rugby fans!

Supporters have already bagged their beds - ahead of Wales' autumn Millennium Stadium games - at the 80-bedroom Premier Inn, within the Innovation Quarter, on Barry Waterfront.

The £7.5m Premier Inn and Brewers Fayre has created 80 new jobs with local contractor Carter Lauren employing 170 people during the construction stage.

The new hotel and restaurant occupy a two-acre site on Fford Y Mileniwm, overlooking Barry’s No.1 Dock. Whitbread developed the scheme in partnership with the Welsh Government and Vale Council.

Acquisition manager for Whitbread hotels & restaurants, Richard Pearson said: "We are rightfully proud of the new Premier Inn hotel and Brewers Fayre in Barry.

"Not only have we added another quality location for our customers, but it demonstrates the commercial advantages of partnering with Whitbread on regeneration schemes.

"Hotels are huge generators of footfall, and we can use our strong Whitbread backed covenant and development expertise to revitalise previously unviable development sites.

"At Barry we have transformed a vacant site into a highly sustainable hotel, creating jobs and supporting the local economy.

"With a proven track record of success, and one of the strongest brands in the hospitality industry, the development will help promote Barry as a place to visit.

"I can’t wait to get the doors open and start supporting the Barry economy!"

Fifty per cent of the jobs have gone to local unemployed people and 16-24-year-olds not in education, employment or training.

Welsh Government housing, regeneration and heritage minister Huw Lewis said: "The opening of this new hotel and restaurant in Barry is excellent news for the local economy and the local community.

"Whitbread is to be congratulated for its policy of allocating half the jobs to unemployed people and young people not in education, employment or training.

"This exemplifies perfectly what we are hoping to achieve through the Barry Regeneration Area programme – working in partnership to make the most of what the town has to offer to improve people’s lives and attract more visitors to the area."

Vale AM Jane Hutt, who attended the opening, said: "This is a brilliant boost for Barry and a great start to the Waterfront’s regeneration."

Barry Island trader and Barry regeneration area board member, Marco Zeraschi said: "I hope it's the first of many hotels in Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan."

* To celebrate the opening, Melanie Waters - who plays Gwen West in Gavin & Stacey - will be cutting the ribbon on Friday (October 12) at noon. Celebrations include fun activities for kids including face painting, a bouncy castle and Brewers Fayre’s very own magicians.