A SNEAK preview drawing of what could be built in place of the Cliff Hotel has been released days before a public meeting into its future.

Earlier this month it was revealed the 27-bed hotel on Marine Parade, Dovercourt, will be bulldozed as part of a huge renovation of the site.

It was due to undergo a complete refurbishment and internal remodelling after closing in January making 36 members of staff redundant.

But new owners of the hotel, the Cliff Trading Company, were told the building was in such a poor state of repair after years of neglect it was not “financial viable” to refurbish it.

Construction consultants Clarkehaus have drawn up plans for a new “iconic” building in its place, which are set to go on show to the public at a special meeting on Monday night It will include flats, a hotel and bar/restaurant.

An artist’s impression of the new building, released this week, shows glass-fronted balconies, a line of port-hole style windows and an al fresco dining area.

But Tanya Ferguson, Tendring Council’s councillor responsible for tourism, has raised concerns about losing the 130-year-old building.

She said: “The Cliff Hotel is an iconic building.

“If it was down to me, I would say ‘couldn’t we keep just the facade’.

“The Cliff has been on that landscape for so long.

“I personally don’t want anything in Dovercourt that is out of keeping. It has to be historic and bring our history to the forefront.

“Otherwise we might as well cut ourselves off and float over to Felixstowe and join the cranes.

“I’m sick to death of people saying what a tip the town is - it’s not, we just need to think more carefully about how we regenerate Harwich and Dovercourt.”

An informal open evening on Monday for the public to view the proposals for the redevelopment of the Cliff Hotel site will run from 7.15pm until 9pm at The Waterfront, Lower Marine, Dovercourt.