ONE OF the UK’s leading budget hotel chains has announced it is looking to open its second hotel in the city, bringing with it 20 to 25 jobs.
As part of a £42million investment plan Travelodge, which already has a hotel in Cathedral Plaza, confirmed it was looking to act on the strength of the West Midlands’ economy. Sites, including Worcester, were being targeted to meet a current shortage of affordable hotel accommodation in the area.
The announcement coincides with Travelodge’s 30th anniversary of trading in the West Midlands, a region it said remained a key growth area for the company, with a surge in guest numbers at its facilities.
It is not known where about in the city the Travelodge would be built.
A Travelodge spokesperson told the Observer: “At the moment we’re still negotiating on sites, so we cannot confirm where in Worcester the site will be.
“But we can confirm Worcester is a place we’re looking to invest in.
“Until the hotel is built we cannot confirm the number of jobs per hotel as this may vary depending on the build, but we would anticipate between 20 to 25 jobs.”
Craig Bonnar, Travelodge chief operating officer, said: “As we look to the future, the West Midlands is a key growth area for Travelodge.
“The local economy is growing at pace and with increasing visitor numbers to the area, there is a big shortage of good quality and great value accommodation to meet customer demand.
“Therefore, Travelodge is looking to expand its portfolio with a further seven hotels across the West Midlands, including Wolverhampton, Worcester, Coventry Central, Coventry M6, Edgbaston/Selly Oak, Solihull and Walsall.”
The hotel would be the City’s fourth budget hotel, joining the Cathedral Plaza site and Premier Inn’s Wainwright Road and 2014-built New Road sites.
* What do you think about the provision of hotel accommodation in Worcester? Does the city need more? What kind of businesses would you like to see come here? Email [email protected] with your views or write to us at the address on the letters page.
