SOMERSET cricket legend Marcus Trescothick was the guest of honour, cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the Mercure Bridgwater Hotel in Eastover.

The former England international joined hotel owner Deepak Chainrai and around 50 guests, including MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, Sedgemoor District Council chairman Mike Cresswell and Bridgwater Town Council leader Brian Smedley, among others.

The new hotel had held a ‘soft launch’ ahead of the Carnival at the start of November, but is now fully open and ready for business, and guests were able to enjoy canapes and a tour of the hotel.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony held on Thursday evening, Mr Chainrai kept his speech short and sweet, saying: “I would like to thank you all for coming, it has been a long eight year journey to get to this point but I am delighted we are finally here.”

Marcus Trescothick said: “The hotel is looking fantastic.

“It is the cricket World Cup next year with games just down the road at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton and I am sure you will get teams and supporters coming to stay here.

“I have been given a tour and want to say well done to all the team who have made it look so good.”

The hotel features a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill, 119 rooms and two meeting rooms.

Each room has a new flat-screen TV, complimentary toiletries, air-conditioning, a laptop safe, mini-fridge, 24-hour room service and wifi access.

Selected rooms also include balconies views across Bridgwater and the surrounding countryside.

Both Bridgwater Town Council and Sedgemoor District Council hope the new hotel will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Eastover as a whole.

This latest hotel is the 81st Mercure Hotel in the UK.

For more information about the Mercure Bridgwater, visit accorhotels.com and search for Mercure Bridgwater.