In a £115m expansion plan, budget hotel chain Travelodge is to open 26 new hotels across the UK this year. The programme includes six 'going concern' properties following the conversion of 10 hotels last year.

Two of the hotels will be in London and three are planned for Edinburgh. Other locations include Aberdeen, Canterbury, Chester, Chichester, Colwyn Bay, Horsham, Hull, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Morecambe, Northampton, Rugby and Wincanton. Travelodge, owned by Dubai International Capital, said the scheme would result in more than 2,000 new rooms being added to its portfolio, making a total of over 30,000 rooms across what will be in excess of 400 properties throughout Britain.

The company also said it would continue its focus on recruiting from the long term unemployed.