23rd October 2018

Travelodge, the UK’s first budget hotel brand, has opened a new hotel for bees at the award winning Telford Town Park & Nature Reserve which overlooks the company’s new hotel, Telford Travelodge.   

The bespoke Travelodge beehive is made from red cedar wood and has been painted in natural bee friendly paint. The UK’s first Bee Hotel features five floors and around 60,000 honeybees can check-into the new Travelodge hive free of charge. 

The Travelodge Beehive is the park’s first hive and will be part of a larger apiary community project, sponsored by Telford & Wrekin Council and managed by Friends of the Park volunteers under the guidance of local Bee Keeper, Alison Wakeman.    

Travelodge worked with Apiarist, Alison Wakeman, on the design and installation of the company’s first beehive.  Alison has been studying bees for over 15 years and is the founder of ‘Alison’s Bee’s Class’ and delivers the academic course called ‘Awareness of Bees and the Importance in the Environment’. Alison travels across the UK teaching primary school children: the importance of bees, their vital role to the environment and how they contribute to the UK economy through their food crop pollination.   

The Travelodge beehive was officially opened by Telford Mayor, Councillor Raj Mehta and local Bee Keeper, Alison Wakeman. The Travelodge Bee hotel will be situated in a private area in Telford Town Park & Nature Reserve.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “Our first Travelodge Bee Hotel has created quite a buzz and got off to a flying start. We have been informed the Queen and her workers are very happy in their new home and comfortably settled in for winter. We thought for the opening of our 551st UK hotel in Telford, it would be great opportunity to trail the UK’s first Travelodge Bee hotel as our new hotel overlooks Telford Town Park & Nature Reserve and kick starts Telford & Wrekin Council’s apiary initiative.”  

Alison Wakeman, Telford Bee Whisper said: “I am buzzing that Travelodge has opened its first Bee Hotel in Telford. This year, the town is celebrating its 50th anniversary so it is a great gift that will keep giving. This opening will help to raise awareness of how essential honeybees are to our environment. They are one of the world’s most important pollinator of food crop and support one third of the food that we consume every day. Therefore we all need to work together to support our bee population.”

“Telford Town Park & Nature Reserve is the perfect setting for Travelodge’s first Bee Hotel as it is home to thousands of different types of wild flowers and perfect environment for honeybees.”

Telford Travelodge, a 68-room hotel is located by Telford International Conference Centre and overlooks Telford Town Park & Nature Reserve. It represents an investment of £6 million for the landlord, Telford & Wrekin Council and is part of the local regeneration Southwater programme. The hotel has been designed in the company’s new contemporary brand style; and will be the key accommodation provider to delegates attending events at Telford International Conference Centre.    

 

For high resolution images and further information, please contact:

 

 

-ENDS-

For Further information, please contact:

The Travelodge Press Office

T: 01844 35 8703

E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk

 

About Travelodge

Founded in 1985, Travelodge is one of the UK’s leading hotel brands.  The hotel chain currently operates 567 Travelodge hotels in the UK, Spain and Ireland as at 4th October 2018.  Travelodge welcomes approximately 19 million customers every year and over 12,000 colleagues work across the business.