THE FIRST HOTEL OPENS TODAY AT THE BULL RING
Today, Birmingham’s largest hotel brand Travelodge has announced the creation of 100 new jobs as a result of opening a further three new hotels in the city.
The first of the three new openings, Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge is the
company’s 18th hotel in the city and today was officially opened by Birmingham’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Wilkes and Travelodge CEO Guy Parsons.
The 210-room hotel which is located at the famous shopping mecca the Bull Ring, represents a £10 million investment into the city and has created 30 new jobs within the community. Rooms are available from £19 per night.
The other two new Birmingham hotel openings will create a further 70 new jobs and are located at Birmingham Airport and Carrs Lane. They are scheduled to open in September and December 2011 respectively.
By the end of the year Travelodge will have 20 hotels and 1,600 rooms in Birmingham.
Guy Parsons, Travelodge CEO said: “We are not a company that sits on its laurels. Although we are already the largest hotel brand in Birmingham we are still expanding. I am very pleased that this year we have a hat-trick of new openings in landmark locations across the city. These hotels will create 100 much needed new jobs within the local community.”
“With over 33 million people annually visiting Birmingham for leisure and business, there is a real growing demand for good quality, low cost accommodation across the city. By the end of the year we will have 20 hotels in all of Birmingham’s major landmarks, making it more accessible and affordable for Britons to visit the city.”
Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge is being managed by one of the company’s local rising stars Astra Goode who started her career with Travelodge ten years ago as a receptionist. Over the years Astra has climbed the career ladder and successfully managed six hotels across the city. In addition, she was a project co-ordinator helping to assist in Travelodge’s largest acquisition deal to date - when the hotel chain took over 52 Inn Keeper Lodges from Mitchells and Butler in 2010. (Astra assisted in converting the lodges into Travelodge hotels).
Astra has recruited her team of 30 via the Job Centre Plus scheme which helps the long term unemployed back into work.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Michael Wilkes said: "I am delighted to see that despite the current economic difficulties we face, businesses are still willing to invest within our great city. At a time of economic uncertainty, the new Travelodge hotel will provide much needed investment and employment opportunities for the local area.
I am so impressed to hear that the hotel manager of this £10m hotel started as a receptionist and has been given the opportunity to climb the career ladder at Travelodge. Great news for all the new team members at the hotel; they also have the opportunity to become a Travelodge’s manager of the future.
In addition, the news that Travelodge will also be investing in two more hotels in Birmingham this year is a great success story for the city’s tourist economy.”
Astra Goode, Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge’s Hotel Manager said: “Not in my wildest dreams did I think ten years ago when I joined the company as a receptionist, that one day I would be running my own brand new hotel in the heart of Birmingham city centre. It’s such an honour to be given the opportunity to manage Travelodge’s 18th hotel in Birmingham.
We are attracting new visitors to the city by offering rooms from £19 and these new visitors will boost the local economy by £3.5 million*. As our research shows the average Travelodge customer will spend on average £36 a day in local shops, restaurants and bars during their stay.”
“Our bookings data shows the hotel is off to a flying start, we are expecting a busy May half-term and summer period.”
To celebrate the opening of Travelodge’s 18th hotel at the fashion Mecca, the Bull Ring, the hotel chain ran a promotion to find the city’s next top designer. Budding stylists were commissioned to design an outfit using a bed sheet. Fifteen outfits were showcased at the opening event this morning and the overall winner was Emily Wakerley.
The judging panel consisted of: the Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Emily Ford-Halliday, Lecturer from Birmingham Metropolitan College’s Fashion Diploma and Guy Parsons, Travelodge CEO.
Emily Wakerley received a free weekend break at any one of the company’s 469 Travelodge hotels with £100 spending money to splash out on a new outfit.
Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge offers a range of rooms which include: family, double and accessible. All of the rooms have been styled in the company’s contemporary room design which includes a red, white and blue colour scheme and mood lighting.
A Travelodge family room caters for either two adults and two children or three adults. Each room has en-suite facilities with eco-friendly showers, a flat screen TV with 18 free digital channels, free tea and coffee making facilities and Wi-Fi.
For more information about Travelodge and to book a £19 room visit: www.travelodge.co.uk.