Travelodge is planning to open 300 new sites across the UK including Portsmouth and Waterlooville

Travelodge is set to open 300 news hotels across the UK in a huge expansion the budget chain dubbed a lucrative opportunity for local councils.

Travelodge is set to open 300 new hotels across the UK, including at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and Waterlooville, in a huge expansion for the budget accommodation giant.

The plans will bring its total catalogue of hotels to around 900 sites across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It already has three branches in Portsmouth, as well as in Gosport, Emsworth and Rowlands Castle.

The affordable hotel chain said it had written to 220 local authorities proposing a joint development partnership that it said would boost regeneration in their towns and cities. The letter includes a direct call to action on how Travelodge can support councils it doesn’t currently work with to “collectively support Britain’s recovery” from the pandemic.

The expansion programme could also represent an investment of around £3bn for third party investors and create more than 9,000 jobs across the UK.

In 2022, Travelodge opened six new hotels, three of which came off the back of local authority partnerships with two hotels located in London at Docklands and Wimbledon and the third hotel situated in Braintree.

Steve Bennett, Travelodge’s chief property and development officer, said: “In the current climate, local authorities are under extreme pressure to invest in their economy and support regeneration projects. This is why we are today writing to 220 local authorities to offer our support, as we can make a real difference.

“We have a proven track record of working with 25 forward-thinking local authorities across the UK from Ashford to Stirling. Our effective, innovative co-partnership development deals are spearheading regional economic growth and providing a solid long-term revenue stream.”