• Travelodge builds on successful Liverpool pilot and Manchester programme with new London initiative 
• 8–10 local young people will be supported through workshops and hotel experience
• Part of a wider ambition to scale the initiative across the UK

Travelodge has expanded its employability programme to London, following the success of its Care Leavers into Careers (CLIC) pilot in Liverpool and subsequent programme delivered in Manchester. 

The latest programme took place on 17th and 18th September, bringing together young people with experience of the care system for a programme designed to build confidence, develop workplace skills and provide a route into employment. 

8-10 young people from the London area, all with experience of the care system, completed the career-launching pilot scheme aimed at opening doors to the hospitality industry.

The four-day ‘Care to Career’ programme, run by Travelodge in partnership with charity Catch22, gave participants a unique route into a career in hospitality: two days of intensive confidence-building workshops followed by two days of hands-on experience at Travelodge’s Covent Garden hotel. Every participant who completes the scheme receives a practical pathway into the hospitality sector, culminating in a guaranteed interview with the budget hotel chain.

Sandhiya Patel, Social Mobility Manager at Travelodge, said:
“Hospitality is about people and this programme is about giving young people the opportunity, confidence and support they need to take their first steps into the workplace. Following the success of our Liverpool pilot and the programme we delivered in Manchester, we’ve brought ‘Care to Career’ to London. By combining practical skills, hands-on experience and a guaranteed interview, we hope to open the door to exciting career opportunities in hospitality.”

The London programme forms part of Travelodge’s broader commitment to scale employability support for underrepresented groups across the UK and the company is continuing to explore opportunities to expand the initiative into more regions.

Cath Forshaw, Operations Manager, CLIC Programme at Catch22, said:
“Travelodge continues to set a high standard as an employer committed to supporting young people from underrepresented backgrounds. The CLIC programme gives young people the opportunity to build their confidence, develop practical employability skills and gain an insight into the world of work in a supportive environment. We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Travelodge and bringing the programme to London.”

Catch22’s Care Leavers into Careers initiative supports Care Experienced Young People aged 18–30 to work towards securing employment, an apprenticeship, training or education.

Travelodge first partnered with Catch22’s Care Leavers into Careers (CLIC) initiative in Liverpool in 2025, where two participants subsequently joined Travelodge’s hotel teams. Following the success of the Liverpool pilot, the programme was expanded to Manchester in 2026 and is now being delivered in London.

In 2023, working with the Purpose Coalition, Travelodge became the first company in the UK hospitality industry to publish a Social Mobility Impact Report, highlighting the barriers faced by groups experiencing significant challenges in accessing work and identifying opportunities for employers to make a difference.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

For further information or supporting images please contact:

The Travelodge Press Office

T: 01844 358 703

E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk 

About Travelodge 

Travelodge is one of the leading platforms in the UK and is the second largest hotel brand in the UK with 632* hotels and approximately 49,000* guest bedrooms, right across the UK as well as in Ireland and Spain. 

In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top key locations where it would like to open additional hotels in Spain. 

Welcoming over 22 million guests annually across the UK, Ireland and Spain, the majority of Travelodge hotels are located in major cities, towns and holiday hotspots as well as by airports and key business hubs. With over 96% of its hotels rated 4 dots or above on TripAdvisor, Travelodge is proud to offer guests across its diverse customer base a good value experience – whether they are travelling for business or leisure.

Whether out celebrating a birthday, going to a concert or sporting event, visiting friends and family, taking a business trip, working away from home, or taking a short break, we help people to go and do their thing by Being the Brilliant Base. 

Travelodge continues to invest in its ongoing hotel refit programme, with over two-thirds of the room estate now featuring the new look and feel across refits and new hotels. The brand  is also continually evolving its quality offering to deliver a better experience for its diverse  mix of business and leisure guests such as its new look Bar Café design, 85 Bar Café, which  has been rolled out to selected hotels in the UK and Spain as part of the refit programme. 

Travelodge is focusing on its environmental and social impact, with sustainability integral to its business strategy. Its Better Future sustainability plan aims to build a more sustainable  future for its customers, colleagues and the planet, underpinned by three core pillars:  Inclusive – ensuring we are accessible, inclusive and well-priced to our customers and  colleagues; Caring – creating a caring and healthy environment for our colleagues and  customers and ensuring their wellbeing; and Conscious – Travelodge is conscious of its impact  on the planet, taking into account the waste it produces, the energy and other resources it  consumes and the carbon emissions it generates.

*as at 30th June 2026