Travelodge invests £18m in opening sixth Cambridge hotel

The 219-bedroom hotel, built on the site of the former Greene King Brewery in Newmarket Road, will be the company's largest in Cambridge so far and confirms its domination of the hospitality market in the University city, which itself has grown in appeal as a tourist destination since Travelodge opened its first hotel there in 1988. 

Travelodge chief operating officer John Hendry Pickup said the company had invested £40m in the city over the last 25 years in response to its popularity among visitors. 

“Cambridge has rapidly grown as a tourist destination over the last 25 years, and the biggest burst of growth has been since the recession as Britons increasingly opt to holiday on British shores," he said. "As a result of this growing trend we have experienced a surge in demand not only from leisure travellers, but from business customers too, all looking for good value branded accommodation when visiting the city."

Refurbishment​

Hendry Pickup said investment would continue in Cambridge with refurbishments of its existing hotels planned to take place from this October. 

"To date we have invested £40m and created 150 jobs, and this year our Cambridge Fourwentways hotel is undergoing a £270k brand refurbishment programme so that we can continue to offer the best product at the best price within the city," he said. 

Cambridge Newmarket Road Travelodge is the first in the city to feature the new room design. Kevin Lewis, who has been employed by Travelodge for eight years, has been appointed the new hotel's general manager and will oversee the hotel's 30 staff, who have been recruited via the Job Centre Plus scheme. 

Cambridge MP Julian Huppert officially opened the hotel earlier today. 

He said: "I am delighted that Travelodge has made such a huge investment in our city and created more than 30 jobs. This is testament to the strength of the Cambridge economy and I hope this new venture will prove a great success.”