Travelodge planning to open a new hotel in Alnwick

Travelodge has drawn up a wish list of 300 areas where it wants to open new premises, and the historic market town is on it.

A spokesperson for Travelodge said: “There are no confirmed sites yet, but Alnwick is a target location where we have an ambition to open a hotel.”

The hotel chain said it had written to 220 local authorities proposing a joint development partnership that it said would boost regeneration. The letter includes a direct call to action on how Travelodge can support councils it does not already work with to “collectively support Britain’s recovery” from the pandemic.

Steve Bennett, Travelodge’s chief property and development officer, said: “In the current climate, local authorities are under extreme pressure to invest in their economy and support regeneration projects. This is why we are today writing to 220 local authorities to offer our support, as we can make a real difference.

“We have a proven track record of working with 25 forward-thinking local authorities across the UK from Ashford to Stirling. Our effective, innovative co-partnership development deals are spearheading regional economic growth and providing a solid long-term revenue stream.”

The local authority partnerships so far have, according to Travelodge, created jobs, generated income and helped to regenerate brownfield land.

Once the hotel is built, 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.

“Britain is now a nation of budget travellers, with more of us choosing to stay in budget hotels than any other hotel type and this trend is set to grow, which is why we are looking to expand our UK hotel network with a further 300 hotels,” Mr Bennett added.

“Adding a Travelodge hotel can be a catalyst to attract new businesses, support regeneration, bring vacant buildings back into economic use as well as attracting thousands of new overnight visitors to the area and revitalising high streets. In addition, our research shows that Travelodge customers will spend at least double their room rate with local businesses during their stay.”

Another budget hotel chain, Premier Inn, recently opened a new hotel at the Willowburn Industrial Estate in Alnwick.