£7m deal signed on new Travelodge hotel in Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham Council’s regeneration company, Be First, has signed a £7m deal to create a new hotel near the upcoming film studio complex at Dagenham East.

The 78-room hotel will be operated by Travelodge and built by Barnes Construction in a funding agreement with Berkeley Square Developments.

The land chosen is located next to the 22-acre site that will soon house film-TV studios and a movie-themed visitor centre.

Be First commercial director Iain Ferguson said: “This agreement is another sign that Dagenham is on the up.

“Dagenham East is fast becoming a hotspot for dynamic high-tech industries, with the film studios and datacentre plans now out of the starting blocks.

He added: “These developments will bring thousands of jobs for local people at all levels, from construction workers, carpenters and hotel staff to set designers and film and TV producers.”

The hotel will also feature a ground floor restaurant and Costa drive-through outlet.

Alan Gavin, of Berkeley Square Developments, commented: “We are delighted to be developing the new Travelodge at Dagenham East with Be First.

“They are really putting the area on the map as one of the leading regeneration areas in London and the combination of a Travelodge and film studio will further spur inward investment to the Borough and we are looking forward to continue to develop in the area.”

Tony O’Brien, Travelodge’s UK development director, said: The scale of development in the area means that Barking and Dagenham really is the place to be.

“We will be opening another hotel at Dagenham Leisure Park shortly, so this is our second hotel in the area.”

He continued: “With the major residential and commercial developments planned in the borough, we believe that now is the time to invest in area.”