THE mayor of Chipping Norton has welcomed new investments in town, saying it "needed" developments such as the new Premier Inn.

The £6.5 million hotel, in Spring Street, is set to open in January next year and has created 30 new full and part-time jobs for people in the area.

Meanwhile, the popular Blue Boar pub in Goddards Lane, has been taken over by national chain Young's and has undergone an extensive refurbishment, along with hiring 16 new staff.

Mayor Councillor Mike Tysoe said: "I'm actually very pleased to see investments being made in town because I think the town needed some investments.

"We didn't want to be swallowed by the 2-3,000 more houses on the outskirts. If we are going to cope with that sort of influx we are going to need investments."

The Premier Inn was approved by West Oxfordshire District Council's planning committee in June last year, and will provide new jobs and more parking in Spring Street.

Cllr Tysoe said: "When the planning application came in for the Premier Inn there were a lot of very negative vibes about it. My personal opinion, I think it is great. The building itself - I think it is actually going to blend in quite nicely over time. I think it is a great boon to the town."

Stuart Rose, acquisition manager for Premier Inn, said: "We’re excited to be opening in Chipping Norton next January and looking forward to making a positive contribution to the town.

"With the investment, new jobs and important re-use of this old site for a brand new hotel, this is a really positive opportunity for the start of 2017. Construction is going well and we’re full steam ahead towards our opening early next year."

The Blue Boar has also taken on staff from the local area, and now offers classic British pub food in a newly-installed dining room area.

Gary Coe, landlord at the Blue Boar, says he hopes the well-loved pub's new restaurant will help attract more customers into town.

Mr Coe said: "It was a popular pub before, but I think it is more diverse now. I think the actual food offer is massive, I think it was something Chipping Norton was missing.

"The beauty of the pub has been enhanced, it is still very much a pub - in the back area there is a gorgeous dining room. It has all been decorated, with new floors laid, everything has been enhanced. It looks fantastic, it looks amazing.

"All the staff are local, that is a massive boost. I do think it will draw people in rather than going to destination pubs - pubs you just drive to."

The new-look pub was officially re-opened on Monday, October 24.