London mayor Boris Johnson helped put the final touches to London’s largest new build hotel at a topping out ceremony for the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge last night.
The 1,021-bedroom hotel on the site of the former GLC building, will open early next year under general manager Andrew Swindells and is expected to create 800 new jobs.
When open, the £350m hotel will house six restaurants, 30 meeting and conference rooms, a large ballroom and a luxury gym and spa.
Johnson joined Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts president and chief executive Boris Ivesha to place the final beam to the building, which has taken two and a half years to build.
Ivesha said: “We have created a hotel and conference venue which will set new benchmarks, meet environmental standards and deliver the very best accommodation and service.”
Johnson said the investment made in the hotel demonstrated confidence in the future prosperity of London.
"This impressive development has removed an awful eyesore that has blighted this corner of the capital for too long. A sparkling new hotel is just what the South Bank needs," he said.
"I am sure it will act as a major springboard for the regeneration plans for Waterloo Station and the surrounding area, on top of creating hundreds of jobs and boosting the local economy."
Watch the video of the topping out ceremony here.