The chief executive of Travelodge has told Sky News the hotel chain is defying the recession by opening 26 new hotels this year. The £115m expansion will create more than 500 new jobs across the company, ranging from managers to cleaners.
Speaking to Sky's Jeff Randall, Grant Hearn said: "We set about making sure we had a pipeline for growth coming out of the recession because we know that the cycle of the hotel industry is very regular. 2009 was tough and certainly it wasn't as good as 2008, but it wasn't a disaster for us either. We are very, very optimistic and ambitious for the future."The chain currently employs 5,500 staff and is owned by Dubai International Capital.
Mr Hearn said DIC had been very supportive of the expansion plans at a time when the financial situation there had been under huge pressure. "We haven't seen any real impact of the issues in Dubai," he said.
The new hotels will take Travelodge's portfolio to more than 400 properties, and the expansion will lead to more than 2,000 new rooms being added. Locations will include Edinburgh, London, Aberdeen, Chichester, Colwyn Bay and Morecambe. Travelodge said it would continue its focus on recruiting from the long-term unemployed.
