Travelodge wants to open a further 20 hotels across Scotland. This expansion represents an investment of £125 million for third party investors and will create 385 new jobs
Travelodge, Scotland’s first branded budget hotel chain has announced at the official opening of its new Stirling City Centre Travelodge, that it is looking to expand its Scottish network with a further 20 hotels.
This expansion programme represents an investment of £125 million for investors and a job creation of 385 new jobs across Scotland.
Locations include: Ardrossan, Aviemore, East Kilbride, Edinburgh Park, Falkirk, Galashiels, Glasgow (five locations), Greenock, Hamilton/Motherwell, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Loch Lomond, Montrose, Newton Mearns, Oban, Pitlochry and St Andrews.
To kick start its expansion programme, Travelodge is today writing to the leaders of the Local Authorities of its target locations proposing a joint development partnership that will help regenerate local communities and unlock development potential.
The letter outlines the pivotal role that Travelodge is currently playing supporting 12 Local Authorities in England and Wales to help support local regeneration, create jobs and boost the local economy – and how it can do the same for local communities around Scotland.
These bespoke agreements have had unique funding structures, all of which have enabled Local Authorities to utilise their existing assets, create jobs, generate income, and help to regenerate land in strategically important locations. (see notes to editors for details of a recent deal).
Hotels in the programme are built on surplus local authority land, with the funding provided either through the Local Authority’s internal resource or via low-cost funding from the Public Works Loan Board or third party resources.
Upon completion of the hotel development, local authorities have the choice of either retaining ownership of the hotel and receiving an annual rent into the Council’s revenue budget or selling the hotel with Travelodge as its operator.
Brian Wallace, Travelodge Chairman said:
“‘Many local authorities are in possession of large amounts of property and assets that are not being utilised. Investing in a low-cost hotel like Travelodge is an increasingly attractive choice, as it draws visitors, creates jobs and helps boost the local economy.”
“We operate 44 hotels across Scotland. However the country is growing at pace and attracting visitors from all corners of the globe but there still remains a huge shortage of good quality and great value hotels. To fill this gap, we want to extend our Scottish network with a further 20 hotels. To help us achieve this, we are writing to the Local Authorities at each target location, to invite them to consider how Travelodge can act as a catalyst to drive their local development agenda. This expansion in up and coming leisure hot spots and growing business destinations represents an investment of £125 million for investors and will create 385 new jobs.”
Stirling City Centre Travelodge is the company’s second hotel in Stirling, the city where it opened Scotland’s first budget hotel in 1986. The 74-room hotel is the company’s first hotel in the city to feature a Bar Café, offering a great value breakfast, dinner and bar menu. It has been styled in Travelodge’s new contemporary brand design and offers rooms from £29.
The MP for Stirling, Stephen Kerr, and the Provost of Stirling, Councillor Christine Simpson, joined Travelodge Chairman, Brian Wallace at a champagne reception to officially open Stirling City Centre Travelodge.
In addition Travelodge is on schedule to open a 60-room hotel near to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Glasgow and is awaiting planning permission to build a 61-room hotel with Bar Café in Elgin.
For further information:
Please contact the Travelodge Press Office on:
E:pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk and T: 01844 358703