Travelodge opens £11m flagship hotel in Manchester
A new £11m, 157-bedroom, flagship Travelodge hotel has opened in Manchester.
Located in the city's Piccadilly Gardens district, The Manchester Piccadilly Travelodge was officially launched by Peter Gowers, chief executive of Travelodge, together with Naeem Ul Hassan, Lord Mayor of Manchester, and Phil Cusack, president of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
It brings the number of Travelodge properties in Greater Manchester up to 16 and the total company portfolio up to 513.
The hotel occupies six floors of the former 1927 Woolworths building, with the ground floor occupied by restaurants and shops, in a development undertaken by Associated Property Investors.
Travelodge is in the process of investing £2m in the refurbishment of 10 of the company's properties in Manchester, while also looking for further opportunities for openings in the city.
Gowers said: "The city of Manchester is a vital hub for business and tourism, actively supported by the focus of the local authorities on developing infrastructure and cultural attractions to foster growth. This new hotel, together with our ongoing refurbishment and modernisation programme, positions us well in the city as the economy continues to strengthen."
Cusack added that with Manchester becoming one of the UK's leading tourism centres, the growing number of visitors cannot be maintained without the right kind of accommodation in the right locations. "This type of development, in the heart of the city centre, is making a real contribution to Manchester's growth and economic strength."
Manchester Piccadilly Travelodge is managed by Lisa Readett, who started her Travelodge career as a supervisor at Manchester Sportcity. Her team of 30 staff have all been recruited via Travelodge's partnership with the Job Centre Plus Scheme.
Grant Hearn steps down as chief executive of Travelodge >>
