Angus Council is remaining coy over the prospects of climbing into a Travelodge bed.
The local authority is being wooed by the national budget hotel chain as part of what it says is a drive to support local regeneration.
Travelodge hopes to strike up partnerships with councils up and down the country for the creation of outlets in their area, and Angus – with the main A90 east coast trunk road running right through the heart of the district – has emerged as a potential suitor high up their list of dream partners.
The chain already operates 550 hotels and has written to the council with a proposal to join forces in the creation of the first Angus Travelodge.
Company chief executive Peter Gowers said: “More and more local authorities are under pressure to find ways to help regenerate their historic town centres and local communities.
“Adding a low-cost hotel like Travelodge is an increasingly attractive choice, as it draws visitors, creates jobs and helps boost the local economy.”
“Our customers are travelling more frequently and we are opening new hotels to ensure we are in locations where they want to be.”
Under the arrangement, hotels are built on surplus local authority land with either council, loan fund or third party resources and, when completed, councils have the choice of either retaining ownership of the hotel and receiving an annual rent or selling the hotel with Travelodge as its operator.
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “We look forward to receiving Travelodge’s correspondence.”
No roadside accommodation currently exists in Angus, but applications were lodged earlier this year for two significant proposals – one in the district and another just over the border in neighbouring Aberdeenshire.
The owner of Stracathro services, north of Brechin, is seeking to secure the renewal of permission granted in 2013 to locate a 60-bed motel and garden centre alongside existing facilities.
A family firm has lodged a multi-million pound vision for Mains of Luther, south of Laurencekirk which includes including a hotel, restaurant, farm shop and filling station.
