Travelodge Scores A Hatrick In Birmingham With Hotel Openings And Creates 100 New Jobs

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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Today, Birmingham’s largest hotel brand Travelodge has announced the creation of 100 new jobs as a result of opening a further three new hotels in the city.

The first of the three new openings, Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge is the company’s 18th hotel in the city and today was officially opened by Birmingham’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Wilkes and Travelodge CEO Guy Parsons. The 210-room hotel which is located at the famous shopping mecca the Bull Ring, represents a £10 million investment into the city and has created 30 new jobs within the community. Rooms are available from £19 per night.

The other two new Birmingham hotel openings will create a further 70 new jobs and are located at Birmingham Airport and Carrs Lane. They are scheduled to open in September and December 2011 respectively.

By the end of the year Travelodge will have 20 hotels and 1,600 rooms in Birmingham.

Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge is being managed by one of the company’s local rising stars Astra Goode who started her career with Travelodge ten years ago as a receptionist. Over the years Astra has climbed the career ladder and successfully managed six hotels across the city. In addition, she was a project co-ordinator helping to assist in Travelodge’s largest acquisition deal to date – when the hotel chain took over 52 Inn Keeper Lodges from Mitchells and Butler in 2010. (Astra assisted in converting the lodges into Travelodge hotels).

Astra has recruited her team of 30 via the Job Centre Plus scheme which helps the long term unemployed back into work.

Astra Goode, Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge’s Hotel Manager said: “Not in my wildest dreams did I think ten years ago when I joined the company as a receptionist, that one day I would be running my own brand new hotel in the heart of Birmingham city centre. It’s such an honour to be given the opportunity to manage Travelodge’s 18th hotel in Birmingham”.

To celebrate the opening of Travelodge’s 18th hotel at the fashion Mecca, the Bull Ring, the hotel chain ran a promotion to find the city’s next top designer. Budding stylists were commissioned to design an outfit using a bed sheet. Twelve outfits were showcased at the opening event this morning and the overall winner was Emily Wakerley.

The judging panel consisted of: the Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Emily Ford-Halliday, Lecturer from Birmingham Metropolitan College’s Fashion Diploma and Guy Parsons, Travelodge CEO.

Emily Wakerley received a free weekend break at any one of the company’s 469 Travelodge hotels with £100 spending money to splash out on a new outfit.

Emily Wakerley, fashion student from Birmingham Metropolitan College said: “I am thrilled to have won Travelodge’s next top fashion designer competition. It was a tough competition as the calibre of designs was extremely high and I can’t believe I won. It just shows you a simple bedsheet, with a little creativity can be designed into an award winning outfit.

I have decided to use my prize money on new materials for my next project. Having being inspired by Brummie designer Osman Yousefzada, I hope I will one day be Birmingham’s next top designer and have my outfits shown on an international runway.”

Daniel Fountain / 10.05.2011

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
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Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
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