Travelodge plans to open new branch in Bognor Regis

The national chain is celebrating 20 years of operating at UK seaside resorts this summer and has earmarked Bognor as one of 26 coastal destinations. A location is yet to be decided, but a spokesman for the company said new hotels typically create 50 new jobs. Tony O’ Brien, Travelodge’s UK development director said the country was seeing a ‘rebirth’ of its seasides. “West Sussex is a key tourism magnet and is enjoying year on year growth,” he said. “To kick start our expansion programme in West Sussex we are writing to Adur and Worthing councils to see if we can play a pivotal role in their regeneration programmes like we have done in Rhyl. “Investing in a low-cost hotel like Travelodge is an increasingly attractive choice, as it draws visitors, creates jobs and helps boost the local economy.” The new hotel could be opened as part of Travelodge’s local authorities development partnership scheme, whereby it would be built on surplus local authority land. Funding would be come internally from the local authority, the Public Works Loan Board or third party resources. Upon completion of the hotel, the local authority would have the choice of retaining ownership of the hotel and receiving annual rent, or selling the building back to the hotel chain. Travelodge said the funding structures allows local authorities to ‘utilise their existing assets, create jobs, generate income and help to regenerate land in strategically important locations’. A similar scheme in Rhyl, Wales, saw a £5million investment from Denbighshire County Council as part of a wider £25million regeneration programme along its seafront. The 69-room hotel was built on council-owned land, with rates starting at £29 per night. Travelodge’s Bognor initiative could be part of a £165million nationwide investment that would add three further sites to its Sussex portfolio, 20 years after it opened its first seaside hotel in Brighton. Other Sussex locations earmarked are Shoreham, Hove and Eastbourne.