The Travelodge hotel chain has announced that it will add 12 new hotels to its portfolio making it the UK’s fastest growing hotel company. The investment of £77 million will create a total of 1,443 rooms and 200 new jobs. Locations for the new hotels include Cambridge, Twickenham, London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Northampton and Egham. If all goes according to plan by the time the 2012 Olympics are held, Travelodge will be the largest hotelier in London. The Managing Director for Development at Travelodge commented “The addition of so many sites is just the start of what will be a large number of exchanges in 2009. Since the onset of the recession we have been offered more locations and going concerns than ever before, often in prime locations that just one year ago would have been unviable.”
Monthly Archives: March 2009
Closures threaten, rates cut
According to The Telegraph industry analysts predict that several British hotel chains could fail this year. A total of 145 hotel executives were interviewed and 95% of those that replied predicted bankruptcies in the next 12 months and around 25% expected approximately 10 hotel chains would go into administration. There is growing concern for Britain’s hotel industry as we see a sharp decline in business travel and overall room bookings. However for some domestic travellers this is good news as it forces hotels to cut their rates quite dramatically. Certainly if you shop around there are bargains to be found.
Picture of the day: Hadrian’s Wall
Today’s picture of the day is of a section of Hadrian’s Wall. This particular section is from Cawfields to Steel Rigg, near Hexham. This three-mile section of the wall offers some of the best-preserved portions of the wall and offers beautiful views of the Northumberland National Park.
It’s British Tourism Week!
Today marks the start of the third British Tourism Week, a week-long series of events designed to increase awareness of tourism in Britain. The idea of British Tourism Week – co-ordinated by VisitBritain – is to raise the profile of Britain’s £86 billion visitor economy and draw national awareness to its size, value and importance. See their website for further details.
Channel Islands, London and Edinburgh increasingly popular
According to Expedia online searches for the beautiful Channel Islands have increased by a massive 101% compared to this time last year. Guernsey and Jersey are both British Grown dependencies but are not officially part of the United Kingdom and the total population is 158,000. It is thought that British tourists are becoming increasingly interested in the islands due to shorter journey times and the weakness of the British Pound. The islands offer beautiful beaches, excellent food and warm weather, making it the perfect getaway. Edinburgh has seen a 48% increase and London a 33% increase in interest probably as British tourists plan to remain in the UK this year rather than stretch themselves financially by travelling further afield.
Picture of the day: York Minster
Today’s picture of the day is of York Minster, York’s beautiful cathedral. Situated in the heart of York, this has been a venue for prayer for almost one thousand years. Today it is a popular tourist attraction also and attracts more than two million visitors every year.
Your favourite family holiday?
Please share with your favourite UK family holiday? Whether it was a weekend in Blackpool with your bucket and spade, skiing in Scotland or a stay in a luxury hotel, we want to hear from you. Please post a comment to share your memories and experiences of a great British family holiday.
PS – Happy Mothers Day to all the Mums out there!
Congestion charge cut?
The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has hinted at plans to reduce the price that drivers pay in the city depending on the time of day. However it could see the current price of £8 a day increasing during rush hour and a discounted rate at all other times. Mr Johnson is learning from a successful congestion chare implementation in Sweden. Despite previous rumours the zone area will not be extended. The new plan will bring with it different payment methods. It is proposed that motorists will carry electronic tags in their windscreens which hold payment cards.
Picture of the day: Rannoch Moor
Today’s picture of the day is of Rannoch Moor in the Highlands of Scotland. Situated near Glencoe, this wild area of moorland covers a barren – and sometimes boggy - area of around 20 square miles. Interestingly, it has featured in a number of films including Rob Roy, Trainspotting and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Events from English Heritage
With the largest historical events programme in Europe, English Heritage offers something for everyone. From big battle spectaculars and medieval jousts to hands-on activities and Easter trails for children, their programme offers you hundreds of entertaining and educational events to choose from. Tickets are now on sale for their larger events including the flagship St George’s Day event at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire and their blockbuster Festival of History event at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire. Find out about exciting events near you and book tickets early to benefit from some of the early bird discounts available.
