A MAJOR UK airport is starting work on the next phase of its £400million transformation plan.
Bristol Airport is due to start work on improving its terminal, costing £60million.
Works include creating more space and almost doubling the number of shops and restaurants.
There will also be 17 new units, which will be a mix of shops – including premium brands – and places to grab a bite to eat.
Excitingly, there will also be a hidden speakeasy bar in the terminal.
The airport will have more seating as well and the assisted travel lounge will double in size, with several tables added.
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The lounge will be located near the middle of the departure lounge and will also have accessible toilets and a changing places facility.
The transformation will also see a baby feeding room added, with more washrooms.
And in the arrivals hall, there will be a new domestic arrivals reclaim area with an additional baggage carousel – increasing capacity by 20 per cent.
At immigration, there will be new lifts and stairs too.
The transformation will take place over the next three years.
In total, the terminal will increase in size by 70 per cent.
A number of improvements have already been made at the airport’s terminal, such has next generation security and a new Public Transport Interchange.
At the new Public Transport Interchange, there is now with more than double the original amount of bus bays, dedicated bus stops, digital information boards, a second multi-storey car park, more toilets and a larger M&S supermarket.
It opened back in July and sits on top of a multi-storey car park, which features over 2,000 additional spaces.
The car park is also conveniently located next to the terminal which can be reached via a covered footbridge.
The departure lounge also has a new executive lounge called Escape.
Kate Gwyther, head of retail at Bristol Airport said: “We’re excited about what’s coming.
“The new departure lounge will be bright and spacious where customers can relax, explore a variety of new shops, and enjoy a wider range of dining options to suit every schedule, taste and budget.
“It’s all designed to make the holiday feel like it starts the moment passengers arrive.”
Once all the improvements to the airport are complete, it hopes to welcome up to 12million passengers a year.
Last year, the airport also revealed plans for its first long-haul flights in 15 years – including to the US and Middle East.
Plus, one budget airline recently announced that they are launching a new route from the airport.