The first budget hotel chain in the UK, Travelodge, has officially opened its first hotel in the great British North West seaside resort, Southport. The grade ll listed property which houses a clock tower has 101 rooms (with 17 rooms built into the clock tower). The hotel represents a £5.7 million investment, a creation of 15 new jobs within the community and it has been designed in the new modern Travelodge brand style.
The Mayor of Sefton, Councillor Maureen Fearn and the Member of Parliament for Southport, John Pugh both officially declared the hotel open for business at an opening ceremony today. Also with the hotel opening on the eve of the Easter weekend, Travelodge hosted an Easter egg hunt for local children with the help of the Easter Bunny. The hunt took place on Lord Street where the hotel is located.
Prior to the opening ceremony, the Easter Bunny hid 101 golden eggs, each containing a prize voucher. Prizes included a range of Easter eggs and family weekend breaks staying in any one of 500 hotels that Travelodge has across the UK.
Southport Travelodge is located in the iconic Grade II listed Ribble Building which includes a working clock tower on Lord Street. The building was erected in 1884 and has operated as both a train and bus station during the last century. The building had been derelict for ten years until 2013 when the building was converted into a mixed scheme development which includes a restaurant unit and the Travelodge hotel.
Travelodge has converted the clock tower at the front of the building into 17 rooms to help keep the true character of this impressive building. It has also restored the clock back to working order.
The hotel has been designed in the new modern Travelodge brand style and incorporates the new room design - which has been designed by its customers. Every room features the luxurious bespoke king size Travelodge Dreamer bed.
Southport Travelodge is being managed by Sarah Hill, who has been working for the company since 2006. Sarah started her Travelodge career as a supervisor at Chester Delamere Travelodge before undergoing the Travelodge management development programme and has now been given the keys to this brand new hotel in Southport. Her team of 15 staff members have all been recruited via a partnership with the Job Centre Plus Scheme – which helps the long term unemployed back into work.
Sarah Hill, Southport Travelodge Hotel Manager said: We are delighted to open our first hotel in Southport. The hotel is close to the beach and attractions, making it a great value choice for travellers visiting the area.
The hotel looks amazing, it has been designed in the new Travelodge brand style and it is the first Travelodge hotel to feature rooms in a clock tower.
By offering good value rooms, we will attract more visitors to Southport, which will give the local economy an additional boost of £1.2m as our research shows that a Travelodge customer will spend on average £36 in local businesses when staying over. Our hotel has already got off to a flying start, we are sold out for the Easter weekend and the summer period is already starting to look busy.
Dr John Pugh MP said: This opening shows the confidence which the hotel industry continues to have in Southport as a destination. I am delighted that there will be a considerable amount of employment for local residents of all ages. Travelodge like Southport is great brand.
The opening of the first Travelodge first hotel in Southport boosts the company portfolio to 513 hotels. This hotel opening is one of 15 new hotels that Travelodge is opening this year, as part of a £100 million investment. The other locations include: Manchester Piccadilly, Chertsey, London Walthamstow, Christchurch, Egham, Llandudno, Southampton West Quay, London Raynes Park, London Wembley, London Greenwich High Road, Glasgow Queen Street and Ryde Isle of Wight.
In a bid to further grow its business, strengthen the Travelodge brand offering and ensure consumers obtain the best value in the marketplace, Travelodge is currently investing £57 million to modernise its hotels and bring its new room design to all of its hotels. By autumn this year over 80% of Travelodge hotels across the UK will incorporate the new look Travelodge.
To date over half of Travelodge hotels have been refurbished which includes five hotels across Merseyside which includes the following sites: Liverpool Central, Liverpool Exchange Street, Liverpool The Strand, Liverpool Stonedale Park and Widnes.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Travelodge press office
Tel: 01844 358624
Pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
Hotel Address:
Garrick Parade, Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1
More information on the new Travelodge room design:
To help create a warm and cosy ambiance in the new room so that customers obtain a good quality night’s sleep, Travelodge worked with a chromotherapy expert and has introduced a sleep inducing colour palette to the room’s décor. The feature wall has been painted a tranquil blue, as research shows our body clock is programmed to relate the colour blue to the hours of darkness. So when we look at the colour blue, our metabolism slows down, making us feel relaxed and sleepy.
The remaining walls have been painted a calming cream colour as this shade embodies the quality of gentle morning sunlight that helps you to wake up feeling refreshed and alert.
Other additions to the new room include a stylish white contemporary en-suite bathroom with a power shower, stain & water resistant carpet in a dark shade of blue, a larger desk area, new reading lights and a phone charging socket built into the bed frame. The room also includes artwork above the bed. This is an abstract design featuring relaxing sparkles and shades of blue, which customers found very pleasing to the eye and restful