TEN jobs are to be created by the major £1 million expansion of Greenock’s historic Tontine Hotel.

Work started at the listed Ardgowan Square building in December and is nearing completion - with the handover due in September.

Owners Joe and Veronica Nelis of Greenock say the project has been carried out by local tradesmen, including main contractors Union Projects of Port Glasgow.

The function suite is being renovated and extended, and the hotel are asking for suggestions in a public poll to name a new bar/restaurant being created in the basement.

The favourites so far are Eighteen 08, signifying the year the hotel was built, and The Refinery, referring to Greenock’s historic links with the sugar industry.

Also in the running is Lyles, linking up with the fact that the couple’s other Greenock hotel, Lindores, was built originally as a mansion for the Lyle family of Tate and Lyle.

Mr Nelis says the changes will improve facilities for visitors. He said: “The function suite could previously take about 180 people, but this should be increased by 50. The basement was being used as a storage area, and will now have seating for around 90, with a separate entrance from Robertson Street.”

The three-star hotel has 52 modernised rooms, and is popular with visitors to the area as well as diners.

Veronica said: “Most of our visitors are tourists, including people waiting to board cruise ships, and business people.

“It was important for us to have all the renovation work done by local companies. We are only custodians of this historic building, and we’re delighted to be investing in it.”

The hotel employs a mixture of 42 full and part-time workers. The new jobs will be mainly for the bar and reception, and will also be full and part-time.

Union Projects’ site manager, Stephen Gallagher, said they were pleased to be working on one of Greenock’s iconic buildings.

He said: “We’re taking it into the 21st century.”

His company have had 15 to 20 men working on the contract, and other firms have also been involved, including Hawthorne Boyle handling heating and electrical work, and a range of sub-contractors.

Veronica said: “We’re very happy with how things are going.
“It’s all very positive.”