The budget chain has opened a 62-room hotel on the site of the former Anchor Hotel, an 18th century coaching inn that featured in the BBC sitcom Dad’s Army.
The very first scene of the show was filmed in the hotel in 1968, and it was also a popular haunt for the cast during production.
A special plaque has been unveiled at the hotel to mark its association with the series, which saw Thetford double as the fictional town of Walmington-on-sea.
Expansion
Travelodge – which currently operates six hotels in Norfolk - confirmed it is looking for further sites in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn and Cromer, which will create around 100 jobs.
Gary Steele, Travelodge regional director, said: “The Norfolk economy is growing at pace…but with increasing visitor numbers to the area, there is still a shortage of good quality accommodation at a great value price.”
Travelodge currently operates 534 hotels in the UK, Spain and Ireland.
The company, which celebrated 30 years in business in 2015, is planning to open 250 sites over the next few years.
Plans include a series of shopping centre-based hotels and an £80m expansion in Yorkshire.
Steele said the chain was expanding to meet 'growing consumer demand' for a low-cost offering.