Travelodge targets Stirling with its latest budget hotel

By DOMINIC JEFF
Published on 23/01/2013 00:00

TRAVELODGE has sealed a deal to build a 60-room hotel in ­Stirling as part of a larger city centre development that will ­include restaurant, shops and student accommodation.

The budget chain, which concluded missives with developer Alan Walter yesterday, said that it expects the hotel to open in late 2014, creating the equivalent of ten full-time jobs.

The development is awaiting planning permission, but is expected to consist of three buildings of about 20,000 sq ft, with ground floor retail or restaurant space, a Travelodge and student accommodation.

Tony O’Brien, the group’s UK development director, said: “The proposed development in Stirling has a number of key factors that make it the perfect location for a Travelodge hotel.

“Just 150 metres from Stirling train station and 300 metres from the medieval old town and castle, it will be the first Travelodge in the centre of town and will be a great place to stay for those visiting Stirling for either leisure or business.”

The group says that, with 40 research and development companies at Stirling University and Prudential’s Scottish headquarters in the city, the hotel will serve business travellers as well as tourists coming to visit the nearby Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.

Travelodge avoided collapse last year through a controversial company voluntary arrangement (CVA) under which the group negotiated reduced rents with landlords and will sell one-in-ten of its 500 hotels.

But Brian Wallace, the firm’s new chairman, said recently that Scotland is a “key territory” for the chain and hailed its ability to grow north of the Border. He is “constantly looking at new opportunities” and Scotland is “very much on the radar”.

The company is spending £75 million on refurbishment following the CVA.