Former museum to become luxury hotel
The former Royal Marines Museum in Portsmouth is going to be turned into a luxury hotel.
The building on the seafront at Eastney has now been sold.
The new owners have confirmed the iconic Yomper statue will be staying at the entrance.
The Royal Marines collection has been moved to a new state of the art facility at Portsmouth historic Dockyard, where the public will be able to access it ahead of a new Royal Marines Museum opening at the site.
The Royal Marines Museum at Eastney closed to the public in 2017, after a review of the building found it unsustainable as Museum and home for a historic collection.
On the decision to close it National Museum of the Royal Navy Director General, Dominic Tweddle said “The decision to close the building at Eastney was not an easy one. It is clearly something that is very close to the heart of the Royal Marines and the local community. However, the age of the building meant that it simply wasn’t a safe environment in which to store our historic collections leaving them at risk of damage or even ruin. In addition the space, whilst beautiful, would have been extremely difficult to configure modern museum displays and for visitors to move around easily. The cost to have overcome all of those issues would have been extraordinary.”
The new facility will be open to the public next year.
Dominic adds: “Moving into and creating Storehouse 12 represents a £2m investment by the National Museum of the Royal Navy to create a home for our Collection in Portsmouth that is fitting of its National and International significance. We have committed significant resource and energy in creating this incredible space that will safeguard our Collections and ensure that they can be appreciated for generations to come.”
A new Royal Marines Museum is planned to be created elsewhere at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Earlier this year, the Museum discovered it had been unsuccessful in securing National Lottery funding to support the project.
Dominic said: “Whilst the news from the Lottery was a huge blow to the Museum, it has not deterred us from making a new Royal Marines Museum a reality. The impact of the pandemic left the future of the National Museum at risk, and meant we did have to take some time away from the project as we fought to secure our future.
"However, the dedicated team working on the project have been working hard over the last couple of months to move the plans along. The sale of Eastney represents a huge milestone in that process as it frees up some capital to support the project”.
The Eastney building, which has been purchased by Grand Hotel Excelsior International Ltd, will be transformed into a five star hotel.
Helen Hubbard, speaking on behalf of the group said: “The vision is to re-develop the Historic Former Royal Marines Museum into a luxury five star hotel in a way that will preserve the building’s historic attributes, appeal, and timeless décor.
"Following consultations, we are pleased to confirm that the iconic Yomper statue will be staying at the entrance.
"The property will remain an important part of the community and serve the public through hosting weddings, conferences, and gala events. It will bring economic benefit to the area by encouraging visitors and offering employment opportunities. We are delighted to receive the backing of Portsmouth City Council and the Trustees to be the preferred buyer and are excited to begin the project.”