- Move creates 70 new jobs and positions Travelodge as the largest employer within the area -
Today, Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for Henley on Thames, officially opened the new Travelodge head office at Aylesbury Road, Thame. The move has created 70 new jobs within the community and positioned Travelodge as the largest employer within the area.
The 70 jobs have been filled amongst the following business functions: Finance, IT, HR, Development, Commercial, Marketing, Communications, Operations, Customer Service and Sales.
Mr Johnson was joined by Keith Hamill, Travelodge Chairman, Grant Hearn, Travelodge CEO, and staff to officially open the new head office. Mr Johnson spent an hour talking to staff and finding out more about the UK's fastest growing budget hotel brand.
Grant Hearn, Travelodge CEO, said; "We have been based in Thame since June 2003 and it made sense to look for a bigger office within the area to meet our growing business needs. It is a great start to 2006 to bring 70 new jobs to Thame and we are delighted to become the largest employer in the area and be recognised for our excellent working conditions and employee benefits package."
Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for Henley on Thames said; "I have been reading quite a lot about Travelodge in the press recently and it is very exciting to be asked to officially open the new head office in Thame. The 70 new jobs Travelodge has created will be a great boost to the area. It is encouraging to see a top UK brand like Travelodge flourish within my constituency. I was hoping to meet Chantelle from Big Brother today, amongst the 200 staff based here."
Images available of Boris Johnson with Travelodge Head office staff and with Grant Hearn, Travelodge Chief Executive, and Keith Hamill, Travelodge Chairman.
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For further information, please contact:
Shakila Ahmed
Travelodge PR Manager
Direct Line: 0121 521 6638
Mobile: 07802 702 499
Notes to Editors:
The new Travelodge head office is located at: Sleepy Hollow, Aylesbury Road, Thame, OX9 3AT
Travelodge first came to Thame in June 2004, they were located at Oxford Road, Thame, OX9 2AT and employed 50 staff at head office.
The company employs over 4500 staff throughout the UK.
Travelodge is the UK's number one budget hotel brand and has over 290 hotels throughout the UK.
Rooms start from as little as £10, book online at www.travelodge.co.uk
Travelodge was the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985.
Boris Johnson:
MP for Henley-on-Thames since June 2001.
Editor of The Spectator (August 1999 to December 2005).
Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party (October 2003 - November 2004).
Shadow Minister for the Arts (April 2004 - November 2004).
Shadow Minister for Higher Education from December 2005.
Mr Johnson was born on 19 June 1964 in New York, USA, educated at Eton, (King's Scholar) and Balliol College, Oxford (Brackenbury Scholar in Classics). He worked for the Times and the Wolverhampton Express & Star before joining the Daily Telegraph, where he was successively a leader and feature writer, EU Correspondent, and Assistant Editor.
In 1997 he was voted "What the Papers Say" Political Commentator of the Year; in 1998 he was mystifyingly designated Pagan Federation of Great Britain National Journalist of the Year; in 2003 he was voted Editor's Editor of the Year; in 2004 he was voted Columnist of the Year at the British Press Awards and in December 2005 "What the Papers Say" Columnist of the Year. He was voted Channel 4 News Award for the person who made the biggest impression on the politics of 2004, 2005. He writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph, and has published four books: Friends, Voters, Countrymen; Lend Me Your Ears, Seventy Two Virgins and Dream of Rome.
Mr Johnson is married to Marina and they have two sons and two daughters