A SEASIDE hotel is offering its beds to frontline hospital workers and paramedics who may need a place to stay during their fight against coronavirus.

The Royal Hotel, in Marine Parade East, Clacton, has been forced to close its doors to the public in response to Government advice about the spread of Covid-19.

As a result, business owner Jason Smedley has had to cancel bookings and issue refunds to customers who were planning on travelling to the area.

In a bid to turn the crisis into something positive, Mr Smedley has decided to keep his hotel open for people brought in to work at the Clacton and Colchester hospitals.

He said: “The hotel is really quiet now, so if we can help at this time by giving NHS workers rooms, then we can do our bit to get through this awful situation.

“All people need to do is show us their NHS identification card and tell us why have been brought in to help, and we will accommodate them for as long as we can.”

Some paramedics and ambulance drivers operating in the area are also choosing to temporarily move out of their family homes if they live with someone vulnerable.

According to Government scientists, elderly people and those with underlying health conditions are most at risk should they become infected with coronavirus.

Mr Smedley is, therefore, allowing paramedics and ambulance staff to also stay at the Royal Hotel if they need a place to distance themselves from vulnerable relatives.

“It felt really good to take in our first NHS workers the other night – it is just an incredible feeling,” he said.

“We have had a paramedic also check in with us and we have also got others arriving soon - it is great to see.

“These people are the new celebrities now.

“But we must all play out part now and pull together and everyone must now do their bit by staying indoors.”

In Essex, there are now 88 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Across the country more than 8,100 people have been infected, of which 424 have died.