Building work has now begun on a £10 million hotel in the heart of Walsall.

When finished, the new Premier Inn will create 65 jobs in the town centre. As these pictures show, the long-awaited work on the 100-bedroom building has now begun, with heavy-duty machinery moving on site.

The hotel will form part of the £50million Waterfront project, which has already resulted in more than 300 new homes being built and will eventually include bars and restaurants all lining the town arm of the canal.

Councillor Dennis Anson, whose Pleck ward is just across the road from the new development, believes the hotel would go a long way in helping the town get back on its feet through the economic crisis.

He said: “Anything that brings something and more people into the town is a good thing which I will support. There was only one hotel in Walsall when I was little and now there are quite a few.”

To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.