Travelodge, The UK’s first budget hotel chain, has opened its first hotel in Thetford, situated at the new £8m leisure complex at Riverside. Thetford Travelodge, which is the company’s 534th hotel, has 62 rooms, it represents an investment of £3 million for the landlord (Breckland Council) and has created 15 new jobs within the community.
Thetford Travelodge overlooks The River Little Ouse and has been built on the former site of the famous Anchor Hotel, an 18th century coaching inn that featured in the iconic BBC television programme, Dad’s Army. The very first scene of Dad’s Army was filmed in the hotel’s Norvic Room in 1968. The hotel was also a popular haunt for the cast during filming.
To mark the heritage site of where Thetford Travelodge sits, the hotel chain has placed a bespoke plaque on the exterior hotel wall detailing Thetford’s association with one of the UK’s most iconic TV programmes, Dad’s Army.
The Mayor of Thetford, Councillor Terry Jermy was joined by the platoon from the Dad’s Army Musuem in Thetford and Travelodge Regional Director, Gary Steele to unveil the plaque at the hotel’s official opening ceremony.
Thetford Travelodge is Travelodge’s fifth local council co-development partnership. For this initiative, Breckland Council has funded the construction of the hotel on council land and Travelodge has undertaken a 25 year rental agreement to operate the hotel.
Travelodge operates six hotels across Norfolk which have been all been upgraded as part of the company’s £100 million nationwide modernisation programme. The hotels now offer a contemporary room design which has been designed by customers and feature the new bespoke luxurious king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed.
Norfolk is a key growth area for Travelodge as the demand for good value accommodation is growing at pace and to meet this demand the hotel chain announced at the official opening of Thetford Travelodge that it is looking for a further four hotel sites in the following locations: Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn and Cromer. These openings will create around 100 new jobs.
Gary Steele, Travelodge Regional Director said: “We are delighted to open our first hotel in Thetford at this landmark site and to continue the tradition of providing good value accommodation to Thetford’s visitors.
“The Norfolk economy is growing at pace, with the opening of Thetford Travelodge, we now operate six hotels across the county but with increasing visitor numbers to the area, there is still a shortage of good quality accommodation at a great value price. Therefore to meet this growing consumer demand we are looking for new hotel sites in: Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn and Cromer. These hotels will create 100 new jobs.”
David Winch, The Land Group Director, joint venture partner with Breckland Council for the Riverside development said: “It is excellent to have such a well-known and recognised UK brand in town now helping to drive forward Breckland Council’s regeneration policies.”
Thetford Travelodge is being managed by Matthew Merryweather who has worked for Travelodge since 2009. Matthew has a long standing career in the hospitality industry, having worked in hotels since he was 18 years old.
Matthew Merryweater, Thetford Hotel Manager said: “Not in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be making history in Thetford by managing the town’s first Travelodge hotel. I am absolutely thrilled to be given this amazing opportunity. The hotel is located in a great location and has got off to a flying start.
“We have been booked out with business customers during the week and leisure travellers at the weekend, since we opened for business. This is great news for the local economy too, as our research shows that annually Travelodge customers will spend over £2 million with local businesses during their stay with us.
“Customers love our new upgraded contemporary room design and we have been inundated with customer requests on how they can get hold of our bespoke king size Travelodge Dreamer Bed for their home.”
Thetford Travelodge offers a range of rooms which includes: family, double and accessible. A Travelodge family room caters for either two adults and two children or three adults and features separate beds for children. All rooms now feature the new bespoke, luxurious king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed. In addition individual beds have been introduced for children in all family rooms.
Each room has en-suite facilities with eco-friendly showers, in-room toiletries including liquid soap, a flat screen TV with free digital channels, free tea and coffee making facilities, and free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes during every stay.