The nations’s first budget hotel chain has celebrated its 25th anniversary at the UK’s very first budget hotel – ‘The A38 Burton Northbound Travelodge’. To mark this special milestone, an event was held at the hotel where a commemorate plaque was unveiled by Travelodge’s Chairman, Grant Hearn and the hotel’s longest serving team members Judith Harper and Joan Cable – who have respectively 25 and 23 years of service.

Grant Hearn, Travelodge Chairman said; “In 1985, history was made when Travelodge opened the UK’s very first budget hotel on the A38 in the centre of England.

To mark our 25th anniversary, we thought it was quite fitting to place a commemorative plaque in this hotel’s reception area to highlight its place in British history; as the UK’s first branded budget hotel.”

“Over the last 25 years Travelodge has been the engine room for the budget sector of the UK hotel industry. Moving from being a roadside hotel chain to becoming one of the UK’s largest, fastest growing and most highly recognised budget hotel brand; is an achievement that everyone involved with Travelodge should be proud of.”

“We have pioneered the UK budget hotel sector and facilitated the growth of the tourism industry across the country whilst creating thousands of jobs by offering low cost rooms in good locations. We will not be resting on our laurels our target is to double our hotel size in the next decade and to have 1000 hotels and 70,000 rooms.”

 

Travelodge currently has 453 hotels (439 hotels in UK, 11 hotels in Ireland and three hotels in Spain) – located in city centres, holiday hotspots, tourist attractions, airports and major motorways and ‘A’ roads. 

 

Judith Harper, a 63 year old grandmother has worked at the A38 Burton Northbound Travelodge since the hotel opened in 1985. Prior to being one of Travelodge’s longest serving team members, Judith worked in the Little Chef next door to the hotel. 

Judith Harper, Receptionist at Burton A38 Northbound Travelodge said: “Travelodge has revolutionised the hotel industry and made it possible for more people to stay away in hotels by offering good value accommodation at a low price. It’s an innovative brand and is always thinking ahead. It’s amazing from seeing the first Travelodge hotel being built from my Little Chef days to the company having 453 hotels today across the UK, Ireland and Spain”.

“I feel very proud to have seen the UK’s very first budget hotel being built and to have worked in the hotel for 25 years – I have been part of history being made.” 

“The best part of my job is chatting with different customers, hearing what they have been doing and telling them about the local attractions, like Barton Marina. I have become a bit of an expert and an unofficial tourist guide for the area. We have customers staying from not just the UK but across the world.” 

Seventy five year old Joan Cable, has worked at the Burton A38 Northbound Travelodge since 1987. Joan Cable, said:” I have been working at this hotel for 23 years now and I love my job, its great interacting with different kinds of people everyday. The brand is a straightforward product, you know exactly what you are getting and today everyone has heard the name Travelodge. It wasn’t like that back in 1987”.