From the https://www.kentlive.news By Mary Harris, 14 May 2025.

Kent town's 80-year-old hotel could be turned into nine flats.

It would be an end of an era for the hotel which has been there for many decades.

A hotel in Tunbridge Wells which has been running for 80 years is set to be turned into nine flats. The Russell Hotel is in a stunning location near the town centre, next to some spectacular private period homes and apartments, and with views across to Tunbridge Wells Common.

Arguments as to why this hotel was no longer needed or viable were given by the applicant in the planning submission to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Built in around 1900s, the building used to be three private homes, and was converted around 80 years ago to the hotel. It has 21-bedrooms, all en suite, with a large dining room, a bar, separate lounge, and three conference rooms.

There is a car park for nine or 13 vehicles, depending on which papers you read with the application. Seven full-time and two part-time staff work at the hotel.

If permission is given, one flat would be one-bed; three would be two-bed; and five would be three-bed. Some windows would be added, and these would face a courtyard rather than the street or neighbours.

The kitchen extension and wooden porch in the courtyard would be demolished to allow more light to the lower and ground floor apartments.

The Russell Hotel in Tunbridge Wells - the proposed elevations. (Image: Level Architecture Ltd).

A lift inside would be built. There would be nine parking spaces, one for each flat, and 26 cycle spaces. Trees and planting will be kept.

The application is in the name of Richard Morley who says he is acting on behalf of the applicant, who is not named. Their planning consultants, SJM Planning, said because the property had once been three private homes, the internal configuration, on different levels, was not great for guests as there were lots of stairs. Installing a lift would be costly, it said.

It also said the building's maintenance costs were relatively high, meaning there was no budget for renovation and the decor and furniture was in need of updating to appeal to a "wider market". It also said the ground floor rooms, of reception, dining room, bar, and lounge were all segregated, making for a "less sociable space".

Among the planning papers are photographs which show a large section of the roof covered over with plastic sheeting, water ingress in cupboards, what looks like damp and small cracks in a wall due to water, and an outside wall needing repair.

SJM Planning said: "The cost of these works are substantial and as the business is already unviable, there are no funds available to pay for these works."

The Russell Hotel has been under the current management and ownership for the past 25 years, said the planning papers. In May last year, the hotel's two stars were raised to a three star.

It's in a perfect location for visiting the town, as it is a short walk from the railway station, long walks on the common, the town centre, excellent pubs and restaurants.

The hotel had been used for some time to house homeless people, with the manager Jay Khadka winning an Individual Hero award at the borough council's 2021 Love Where We Live awards for his compassion and efforts in helping those guests, in occasionally testing circumstances. But the planning papers say the borough council has stopped using the hotel for this purpose.

In 2021, The Russell Hotel manager Jay Khadka (centre) won an Individual Hero award at the borough council's Love Where You Live awards for his compassion and efforts in helping those guests, in occasionally testing circumstances. (Image: TWBC)

The applicant pointed out the 110 bedroom Premier Inn had been built nearby, where the old county court and offices had been in Vale Avenue and Clarence Road. This had included extensions and addition of a fifth floor. It said this had been "strong competition" for the Russell Hotel. It also mentioned Travelodge, on Mount Ephraim, as being another budget hotel.

The hotel's business had been hit by many factors, including "Brexit and the substantial decline in the European tourist market"; the rise in use of Airbnb; competition from other hotels, particularly budget hotels such as Premier Inn and Travelodge, and "even higher end hotels becoming competitive in terms of price".

And it talked about how its work with the borough council in getting people off the streets had dried up. SJM said it understood better rooms at cheaper rates were found by the authority.