IT is a year later than planned but tools were due to be downed today at a hotel at the heart of Hampshire cricket as it geared up for its grand opening.

Work at the controversial 171-bed Hilton Hotel at the Ageas Bowl in West End was set to finish today and this was how it looked when the Daily Echo was given an exclusive tour.

Construction at the hotel, which is underpinned by taxpayers’ money, was previously halted for six months back in 2013 after contractors Denizen went into administration.

But following the delay, general manager Dominic Osborne (pictured) says he is confident that the six-floor hotel will be ready in time for opening early next month – 12 months later than originally planned.

It will now undergo Hilton’s three-day testing process.

Mr Obsorne said the last few days have been mainly finishing off in most areas of the hotel with the exterior already complete.

He added that he believed the hotel would make the ground one of the top cricketing venues in the country.

Daily Echo:

The site has been a hive of activity with 200 contractors working 12 hours a day seven days a week to get it done on time – smoothing off ceilings, painting walls, testing out lights and sound systems.

Bagged and boxed up furniture sat stacked in rooms ready to be laid out.

The main Beefy’s restaurant, which looks out over the ground, will be cricketer Ian Botham’s first venture into the restaurant industry and will be a steakhouse seating 140 people.

Other features include a large ballroom, a gym, a spa with hydrotherapy pool and Jacuzzi on the terrace and a Lakeside Bar with an outdoor terrace.

Although the golf course will not be complete for the opening, the first nine holes should be complete by May next year and the last nine by autumn.

Sixty staff are already working for the hotel, in roles such as sales and marketing and senior management, and the remaining 140 will start in the next couple of weeks.

Mr Osborne said advance bookings had already exceeded some monthly targets.

There are 15 wedding booked this year and more already pencilled in for 2016 and 2017 while conference and events inquiries stretch into 2017.

The hotel is also in discussion with international sports teams who could use the hotel while training at the ground.

Mr Osborne said a hotel connected with the cricket ground was unique in the UK and he believed this would be beneficial to both, raising the profile of the ground and attracting more international matches.

“I think once the golf course is finished outside of London it will be one of the premier test match sites in England,” he said.

“Without question it will be a success commercially.”

Liberal Democrat run Eastleigh Borough Council has promised to buy the completed hotel for £27.4 million.