Travelodge plans 22 new hotels by Christmas

Hotel chain Travelodge will open 22 new sites before Christmas as part of a massive expansion plan, with a particular focus on Scotland.

The firm will open new hotels at Heathrow, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Hereford, Torquay, Caernarfon, Worthing and Wolverhampton over the next two months.

It has also pledged to invest more than £150m in new hotels in Scotland over the next 10 years as part of a plan to double the rooms it has in the country.

According to the Scotsman, the firm will open five new hotels in Edinburgh and will grow its Scottish hotels from 30 to about 50 by 2018.

It has earmarked 20 locations in Scotland, including Wick, where it wants new sites.

The firm is owned by the Dubai Investment Corporation and is funded by private backers.