Travelodge targets pubs to develop
Travelodge, the budget hotel operator, has unveiled plans to open 100 small hotels in prime locations by 2020, with former pubs among the properties being sought.
The new 'Metro' hotels will have between 20 and 40 rooms.
Travelodge will be targeting sites in highly-priced, sought-after locations including the City of London and London boroughs such as Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Fulham and Richmond. Major UK cities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Cardiff, York, Bristol, Chester, St Albans and Edinburgh will also be targeted, along with holiday hotspots such as Cornwall, Devon, the Lake District, Scottish Highlands, and sites near theme parks.
"Properties considered under this new scheme will include floors in office buildings, business parks, pubs, old cinemas or theatres, snooker halls, retail outlets and listed and derelict buildings," the company said.
Last month Travelodge announced plans to link up with several pub groups, including JD Wetherspoon, Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers, as part of a £100m expansion programme.
A spokeswoman said the Metro plan is separate from the pub developments. The Metro announcement is part of Travelodge's plan to expand from 472 to 1,100 hotels and from 32,000 to 100,000 rooms by 2025.
Chief executive Guy Parsons said: "Following the success of our Edinburgh Metro prototype hotel and conversion of 52 Innkeeper's Lodges to the Travelodge brand, we've discovered just how profitable smaller hotels can be for us.
"To accelerate our growth strategy we will start building Metro-style hotels across the UK. This concept will allow us to open hotels where other hoteliers can't develop and to expand in our top performing locations where there are few 60-plus room sites available.
"Downsizing our hotel- building requirements will open hundreds of development opportunities for us."
