Hotel operator announces plans to create around 9,000 new jobs across the UK

Travelodge, which operates nearly 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland, and Spain, has announced it has entered a sublet agreement with Popeyes Louisiana Chicken.

The global brand, which is renowned for its ‘Shatter Crunch’ chicken, is taking the UK by storm and has opened one of its first UK drive-thru restaurants at the Northampton Upton Way Travelodge hotel site. In a ‘unique’ sublet deal, Popeyes UK is the latest retail brand to join the Travelodge mixed-scheme development partnership portfolio.

Over the last three decades, Travelodge has been the first hotel brand to partner with a number of household brands in a variety of mixed use developments alongside other complementary uses, such as retail, food & beverage, coffee shops and drive-thrus.

This includes Travelodge hotels operating alongside a popular retail brand such as Starbucks, Subway, McDonalds and now Popeyes Louisiana Chicken. Travelodge was also the first hotel brand to partner with some of Britain’s biggest supermarkets and retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Aldi, Lidl, Home Bargains and Waitrose.

Today, over a third of Travelodge hotels are located within a mixed development scheme with household brands. The operator is keen to expand its development brand partnerships as part of its UK expansion programme which includes looking for a further 300 hotel sites across the country.

Mixed-use development is gaining popularity not just in the UK but across the globe as it is becoming a more prominent feature of planning policy, with the aim of revitalising urban centres and generating benefits for all stakeholders and the community. It also reduces the neighbourhood carbon footprint and minimises air pollution.

From the 300 hotel locations where Travelodge is actively looking to open a hotel, 120 of these locations currently do not have a Travelodge hotel and 50 of these sites do not currently have a branded budget hotel.

Therefore opening a Travelodge in these locations would greatly impact on the town’s economy and attract more business and leisure visitors to the area. Collectively this expansion programme could create around 9,000 new jobs across the UK.

Steve Bennett, Travelodge, Chief Property & Development Officer, commented: “As we look to the future, we have identified that we can grow our business with a further 300 hotels across the UK and we welcome the opportunity to continue to work with Popeyes as well as other major retailers and hospitality companies on mixed-development schemes.

“This investment from third party investors will help to create around 9,000 new jobs, support local economies and importantly give our guests a great base location for their business and leisure trips.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily