Work has begun on a new £6m hotel and gym facility in Harrogate town centre.

Pure Gym and Travelodge will occupy the mixed-use development, occupying a 70-bedroom hotel and a 16,900sq ft gym facility respectively.

Leeds-based Gregory Property Group bought the former bowling alley in 2011 and secured planning approval to redevelop the site in February 2013. It had already secured a 25-year lease with Travelodge to operate the hotel and had also agreed a 15-year lease with Pure Gym for the fitness facility.

Work started earlier this month with Richard Tovey at Gregory Property Group, saying: "The former bowling alley had been vacant for a number of years and had become rather an eyesore in the town centre. It took a lot of effort to secure planning approval due to conservation area sensitivities but our development will be a successful example of how a disused and redundant site can be transformed to deliver much needed facilities for the local community.

"There is no other low cost gym of any size operating in the town and Travelodge is expanding its bed space as a result of demand.”