Last October, Travelodge announced it was offering a £25m bounty to the public to help drive its ambitious expansion plan across the UK.
It was offering up to £150,000 to individuals who could find a new or existing UK location which results in the opening of a new Travelodge.
Safe to say the scheme has been a big success, with more than 7,000 proposals (this has been whittled down to 100 sites, currently being followed up by the group’s property team).
However, one suspects many of those suggesting ideas were blinded by the prospect of free money.
Canary Wharf Tower anybody? How about Whiteleys Shopping Centre in Queensway? It is “close to the shops” don’t you know? Then there was 100 Pall Mall, because “it’s next to St James Palace”.
Another ideal location for a Travelodge, suggested one member of public, is the Jack Nicklaus designed championship Golf Course, overlooking the spectacular Gower Peninsula. Naturally.
And why not just shove another company out of their premises? Eon’s head office at Wherstead Park in Ipswich is prime for conversion to a budget hotel apparently.
Some people didn’t even manage to get through to Travelodge at all. One chap e-mailed the Caterer journalist who wrote the original story (which included Travelodge’s contact details) and asked him to “tell your bosses to get building north of Glasgow and Edinburgh”.