Travelodge Hotel proposal for Cromer after chain writes to North Norfolk District Council

Travelodge has written to the council, proposing it borrows money from central government to pay for the development, which it could then lease to the hotel business.

No location has been identified but the council said it was an interesting proposal.

It follows a similar project in Thetford, where Breckland District Council will be constructing a 62-room Travelodge Hotel on unutilised land owned by the council in the heart of the town.

Alongside the Travelodge in Thetford will be a three-screen cinema and five retail units.

North Norfolk District Council leader Tom FitzPatrick said the council would welcome anything that brought jobs to the area.

He added: 'We are always more than happy to work with companies like Travelodge to bring jobs to the area, but at the moment no site has been identified.

'We had talks in the summer that came to nothing but we are happy to discuss any proposal.'

The partnership approach would see the hotel built on local authority land, with the funding provided either through the council's internal resources or via low-cost funding from the Public Works Loan Board.

Travelodge has announced the development of two further hotels which have been financed through this partnership deal, in Bicester and Redhill.

After completion of the development, local authorities have the choice of either keeping the hotel and using the rental income from Travelodge to support the funding or selling the hotel with the company as its operator and keeping development profits.

Peter Gowers, Travelodge chief executive, said: 'We are delighted to be working with leading local authorities to help local communities realise the income potential, job creation and other community benefits that a Travelodge-backed development scheme can bring to their area.'

And a spokesman for the company said it saw a real need for a value hotel in Cromer.

What do you think about the proposal? Email sabah.meddings@archant.co.uk