TRAVELODGE has written to Barnsley Council to propose a partnership to offer the council the chance to finance construction of a new hotel with the option of owning it.
Travelodge currently runs one hotel in Barnsley, at Stairfoot.
The letter, which Travelodge has sent to Barnsley and another 200 local authorities, outlines the ‘pivotal role’ the budget hotel chain plays in local regeneration, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.
During the last three years, it has completed seven local authority development partnership deals.
Hotels in the programme are built on surplus local authority land, with the funding provided either through council cash, low-cost funding from the Public Works Loan Board or third party resources.
When the hotel development is complete, local councils have the choice of either retaining ownership and receiving an annual rent into the council’s revenue budget or selling the hotel with Travelodge as its operator.
Travelodge has a growth strategy in place to grow its business with more than 200 hotels over the next ten years and working in partnership with local councils is a key route to help deliver this programme.
Peter Gowers, chief executive of the company, said: “More and more local authorities are under pressure to find ways to help regenerate their historic town centres and local communities.
“Adding a low-cost hotel like Travelodge is an increasingly attractive choice, as it draws visitors, creates jobs and helps boost the local economy.”
