Travelodge invests £18.5 million and creates 40 new jobs with the opening of two new grade ll listed hotels in Edinburgh city centre
Today, Edinburgh’s largest hotelier Travelodge is delighted to announce the opening of its 13th hotel in the city with Arcadia Group Ltd - the UK’s largest privately owned clothing retailer.
In a UK first, Travelodge has opened a 96-room Travelodge hotel above Edinburgh’s largest Topshop store in the city’s prestigious retail heartland, Princes Street. The four storey hotel which represents an investment of £10 million has been built in Scotland’s very first steel frame grade ll listed building.
In addition to this hotel, Travelodge has also opened an 85-room hotel today in a grade ll listed property on Queens Street. This development represents an £8.5 investment and has been built in line with the Company’s ‘Metro’ style hotel model. Both investments have created 40 new jobs within the Edinburgh community.
These two new additions have boosted Travelodge’s estate to 508 properties and increased Edinburgh’s stock to 13 hotels and 1,230 rooms. Edinburgh’s largest hotelier is offering rooms from just £19 at both sites.
Travelodge’s Managing Director, Paul Harvey was today joined by Malcolm Roughead OBE, Chief Executive of Visit Scotland to officially open both hotels.
Paul Harvey, Travelodge, Managing Director said: “As Edinburgh largest retailer we are delighted to be opening a further two new hotels in the city centre. Since 2008, we have invested £64 million into Edinburgh and today we have 13 great hotels across the city. By offering rooms from £19 we are making Scotland’s capital more accessible to business and leisure customers.”
“With over 16 million people annually visiting Scotland, the need for good quality low cost accommodation is in great demand and our objective now is to grow our properties in other key areas across Scotland. To fulfil this need we are working with our retained property agents Sandy Cameron & Co to find new sites.
“This autumn we are opening a 60-room hotel in Fort William and I am delighted to announce that we have just exchanged on a new property in Glasgow city centre.”
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “Investment in Scotland’s tourism industry is key to Scotland’s future. There are almost £2 billion worth of projects underway to improve tourism infrastructure across the country and Travelodge’s investment is another welcome addition to this. Edinburgh continues to be one of the jewels in the crown for Scottish tourism and the opening of another two hotels is testament to the city’s eternal appeal.”
Paul Harvey continued: “Our bookings data shows that both of our new hotels have got off to a flying start. We are almost full for the Jubilee weekend and rooms are selling like hot cakes for the Edinburgh Festival. By attracting new visitors to Edinburgh by offering rooms from £19, we will boost the local economy by over £2.8million*. Our research shows the average Travelodge customer will spend on average £36 per day in local shops, restaurants and bars during their stay.”
Edinburgh Central Princes Street Travelodge is being managed by long serving staff member Caroline Morey. Caroline has worked for the Company for 12 years and started her career as a guest room cleaner at Edinburgh Central Travelodge when it first opened in 2000. Caroline quickly climbed the career ladder and moved to an Assistant Hotel Manger position within a couple of months of joining and since then has managed various Travelodge hotels across Edinburgh.
Caroline is so passionate about working at Travelodge that she has encouraged two of her daughters to join the Company too. Debbie Morey, Caroline’s eldest daughter is manager at Edinburgh Central and Christina Morey is a receptionist at Edinburgh West End Travelodge. Christina is looking to the join the Company’s fast track management programme very soon. Caroline is also trying to get her other three daughters to join the Company too.
Edinburgh Central Queen Street Travelodge is being managed by Danny Donnelly who has worked for the company for 12 months. Danny started working at Edinburgh West End Travelodge last year as an assistant manager.
Caroline and Danny’s teams have all been recruited via the Job Centre Plus Scheme – which helps the long term unemployed back into work. As part of their induction training staff members undertook a comprehensive four week training programme at a nearby Travelodge hotel. They also attended a sleep seminar so they are fully equipped to ensure their customers get a good night’s sleep.
These new properties are two of 41 hotels opening this year and creating over 1,000 new jobs. The Company is also the largest hotelier in London, Birmingham and Cambridge.
For more information about Travelodge and to book a £19 room visit: www.travelodge.co.uk.