Travelodge plans new hotels in Bucks in partnership with Council

The hotel chain Travelodge with almost 600 hotels up and down the country announced its plans to open two new hotels in Amersham/Chesham and Gerrards Cross. 

The company is planning to open 300 new hotels in total across the UK, representing £3 billion investment opportunity and 9,000 new jobs. 

Now the hotel bosses have written to Buckinghamshire Council to kick start a partnership they hope will stimulate regeneration and growth, including 50 new jobs and a multi-million pound investment boost in the county. 

Travelodge operates hotels across Buckinghamshire, including in Beaconsfield Old Town (Image: Google Street View)

Travelodge’s chief property and development officer Steve Bennett said the company had written to the Council because “in the current climate, Local Authorities are under extreme pressure to invest in their economy and support regeneration projects.

“This expansion programme could represent a multi-million investment for third party investors and create 50 new jobs. In addition, our research shows that, on average, Travelodge customers will spend at least double their room rate with local businesses during their stay; this can be an annual, multi-million pound boost into each local economy,” Mr Bennett continued.

What's in it for the Council purse?  

The local authority partnership agreement helps councils to utilise their existing assets, create jobs, generate income and utilise brownfield land at key locations, Travelodge said.

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Some of the new hotels built under the partnership have been built on surplus local authority land. The funding was provided either through the council’s internal resources, via funding from the Public Works Loan Board, or through third party resources.

When the hotel development is complete, the council can either retain ownership of the hotel and receive an annual rent into its revenue budget or sell the hotel with Travelodge as the 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. Adding a Travelodge hotel can be a catalyst to attract new businesses to 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,” Mr Bennett added.

Travelodge currently has nine hotels in Buckinghamshire, including in Marlow, High Wycombe, Beaconsfield and Aylesbury.