A CITY centre building that has been left standing empty for the last 18 months is to be transformed into a guest house.

The former Walkabout Hotel close to the popular St Nicholas Market in the centre of Bristol has been taken over by Carla and Andrew Brooks.

The couple already own a popular guest house in Bath and want to bring their successful formula to Bristol.

As part of their plan they have taken over the empty hotel in St Nicholas Court close to the market and have launched a £300,000 refurbishment, which should be completed by next year. Mrs Brooks said: "We opened our first guest house in Bath just over three years ago and things have been going really well as a result.

"We are aiming for the corporate market in the week and for people coming to Bristol on weekend breaks.

"We will not be right at the top end of the market but the plan is to offer a good quality service in a unique setting. Basically it will be a boutique hotel on a budget, we are most definitely a guest house and not a bed and breakfast."

The new hotel is likely to have a four star rating and people will pay around £70 a night for a double room.

Mrs Brooks said: "What we are looking to create is a classic English guest house right in the heart of the city. Bristol has got so much to offer and we are expecting the holiday trade to pick up over the next two to three years. We have been speaking to tourism people and they say the picture is really encouraging."

The new hotel will have 23 rooms and will employ about ten staff. Before being used as a hostel for backpackers, the building was an office block.

The project got of the ground with the help of more than £300,000 funding arranged by their local Royal Bank of Scotland business manager, Sean Docherty. The new hotel will open next April and will include a guest lounge, a custom-made bar and 23 differently styled bedrooms, complete with Cole & Son wallpaper, White Company toiletries, Hansgrohe fittings, flat screen TV's, free WiFi, and art from local artists.

Andrew and Carla plan to source everything for their new venture from antique and modern furniture, to the organic food they will serve in the breakfast room.

Mrs Brooks added: "Andrew and I are thrilled to have taken over the lease of these premises.

"We cannot wait to carry out the refurbishment and transform th run-down building into a hotel for the area offering boutique on a budget and a warm West Country welcome to our guests. There is a lot of work to be done and it is going to keep us both very busy for the next couple of months. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us so far, particularly our builders, who are doing a great job and Sean Docherty from RBS, who has been with us every step of the way. Without the funding the bank has provided this just wouldn't have been possible."

Mr Docherty said: "It is great to see Andrew and Carla doing so well and I'm delighted that RBS has been able to help their goal of purchasing this lease and transforming this site become a reality."