BUDGET accommodation chain Travelodge plans to open 10 new hotels in Harrow and Brent to address a "severe lack" of decent places to stay on the cheap.
It is seeking properties to redevelop or land for new buildings to provide 200 beds in Harrow town centre and 80 beds apiece in Hatch End, Pinner, South Harrow, and Stanmore, as well as Kingsbury, Wembley, Kilburn, Kensal Rise and Harlesden, by 2025.
Guy Parsons, chief executive of Travelodge Hotels, said: "Harrow and Brent have a severe lack of good qualify budget hotel rooms given the size of its population, local attractions, great transport links and proximity to central London.
"The five hotels we are seeking to open in Harrow will employ 175 people and in Brent 100 people and will enable local residents to begin a career in the hospitality industry.
"Many of our managers started with the business in entry level roles and we do all that we can to support our staff with their careers."
In plans approved in 2010, Travelodge was named as the proposed tenant to move into Sheridan House in St Ann's Road, Harrow, once it had been converted into a 114-bed hotel, and it is not known whether the hotelier is still involved in this project and counts this number towards the quota it seeks for Harrow town centre.
Over the border in Brent, meanwhile, the business recently won permission for a new 86 bedroom hotel at the £90m Wembley Central Development in Wembley.
Neil Saunders, of Watford property agents Brasier Freeth, said: "Travelodge have set their sights on five new hotels across Harrow.
"As their retained property agents for the Borough it falls on us to deliver these so were leaving no stone unturned to find the best opportunities on their behalf.
"These could be new build or office conversion, stand alone or mixed use with any and all suggestions being gratefully received and promptly responded to."
