Travelodge announces expansion in Greater Manchester

Travelodge, the UK’s biggest independent hotel chain with 522 hotels, has today announced it has exchanged contracts for two new hotels in Greater Manchester, representing an investment of £9 million and the creation of 45 new jobs. 

The first hotel is located in Stockport on Heaton Lane. The new 86-room hotel will occupy part of Regent House, one of the most prominent office buildings in the town centre. The hotel will include a Bar Café and is situated close to Stockport train station and the new £47 million Redrock leisure development and the existing Merseyway Shopping Centre. 

The second property is situated in the town of Sale. The hotel will be created by converting an existing four story 1980’s office building into a 67-room hotel with a Bar Café and 75 on-site car park. The site is also close to the metro station, providing direct access to Old Trafford and Manchester City Centre. 

Travelodge has exchanged contracts with Orbit Developments for these two properties. Planning applications has been submitted and both hotels are expected to open towards the end of 2016.

Paul Harvey, Travelodge, Managing Director, Property said: “Manchester is at the forefront of the UK boom and is a key growth area for Travelodge. The powerhouse is a vital hub for business, tourism and is also home to four universities. Therefore we are delighted to boost our current portfolio of 16 hotels in the city with two new prime additions in Sale and Stockport. 

However we think there is still a huge opportunity to grow further in Greater Manchester in response to the growing demand from business and leisure visitors for good value accommodation. Therefore we are looking for a further seven new sites across the region to build more Travelodge hotels.

“These seven properties represent an investment of £35 million and will create around 200 new jobs. Sites include: two sites in Manchester city centre, Cheadle, Oldham, Rochdale, Wigan and Worsley.”   

Travelodge opened its first hotel in Manchester in 1987 and during the last 28 years, the UK’s first budget hotel brand has invested £75 million into the city with the opening of 16 hotels, creating 315 jobs.

More recently the company has invested £3 million modernising its 16 properties across the city in its new contemporary brand design.  As part of this investment, all rooms have received a new upgraded luxurious king size bed called the Travelodge Dreamer bed. (This type of bed is normally found in high end hotels) Also the company has replaced the sofa bed with two truckle beds for families.

The developer of both properties will be Orbit Developments, which already owns both sites.  Orbit is a member of the Emerson Group of Companies with in excess of £1 billion of commercial property investments. 

Mark Royle, Director of the Emerson Group, said: “The recent lettings to Travelodge provide both further diversification of the property portfolio and secure long term income to the Group.  The locations of these two hotels in areas where Orbit has significant office investments will provide current and future tenants with excellent amenity to the benefit of all.”

Neil Bowler of Jenics represented Travelodge for the Stockport and Sale deals. Orbit Developments were unrepresented.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Travelodge Press Office

01844 358 703

pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk

About Travelodge:

Founded in 1985, Travelodge is the UK’s largest independent hotel chain, operating over 500 hotels and approximately 38,500 rooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.

Over 17 million people stayed with Travelodge last year, with almost 80% of all reservations made online at www.travelodge.co.uk, which attracts almost one million visits each week.

The company has embarked on a strategy to build a new Travelodge that is Britain’s favourite hotel for value. A major part of this is a new contemporary look, including a luxurious bespoke king-size bed called the Travelodge Dreamer, which is being delivered through a £100 million nationwide modernisation programme. To date, 90% of Travelodge hotels incorporate this new modern look, and all 38,000 Travelodge rooms across the UK now feature the Travelodge Dreamer bed.