A Leicestershire council is planning to turn parts of its office into a hotel because staff working from home means less space is needed.
Melton Borough Council says converting parts of its Parkside office into a new 65-bed hotel will help boost the local economy.
The eastern side of the building, which includes the reception area, civil rooms and registrars would remain while the western side would be converted.
Employees and partners of the council would still be able to access office space on the upper floors, and the ground floor would be accessible for local residents.
The council says there are 222 desk spaces at Parkside but only 90 are now needed.
Several other options were considered including conversion into flats and small office suites, and sharing the space with other organisations.
Cllr Rob Bindloss, portfolio holder for growth and regeneration, said a consultation last year revealed concerns about the lack of hotel rooms for event organisers and coach operators.
He said: ‘The council is very keen to maximise the benefits this could bring to the town’s economy and so is now proposing to include café or restaurant provision with the hotel to encourage visitors to use the facilities in the town, which could see an additional £2m each year being spent in night-time economy.’
