TRAVELODGE.

[hakama]

I note that Travelodge has been stopped from coming here, I do not know the reason but it would be interesting to know if any of the people involved in  blocking it have a financial interest in any of the hotels on the island.

[Guest PJS1979]

I dont think so but its more like they cant be seen to financially back a hotel company, thats not fair for the rest of the sector.

Edited August 14, 2018 by PJS1979

[George.]

Travelodge has not been stopped coming here. They haven't been stopped building a hotel either.

[Ghostrider]

The Council told Travelodge they weren't interested in becoming involved in the IMHO rather cheeky and not particularly attractive business proposition Travelodge had put on the table, and I'm glad they did. 

 

It came across as an opportunistic attempt to get the Council to do the leg work and provide TL with a 'free' site. It has probably worked well enough in other areas where Councils are more cash strapped than ours, and accomodation is much more scarce - The usual outcome there for places such as what they were proposing is that the Council who provided the site ends up block booking a sizeable chnk of the rooms in the place for the homeless. So both TL and those Councils win, but unlikely that it would have here where hotels are far more seasonal by nature.

 

The business interests of each Councillor are listed on the Council's website under the member's 'Register of interests'. I can only think of one with hotel/accomodation interests, and they're so far out of LK, where TL would have very likely insisted they did build, that I can't imagine anything TL might have built there would have been perceived as any threat. Other large accomodation developments have gone ahead unopposed that were much closer to ther business.

 

If TL believe a development here would be a money spinner, let them put their hand in their pocket, buy a site and build whatever they like, not expect a leg up from us for something there's no apparent need or market for. My guess is they'll never be heard from again, as they know without the SIC willing to subsidise them with a site and bookings, its a turkey.