Travelodge has reaffirmed that there are no plans for its Upminster hotel to be used as asylum accommodation, following concerns raised by Julia Lopez MP last week.
Julia contacted the company to seek clarification on behalf of residents and followed up to ensure it was aware of continuing local concerns about the development.
In its latest response, Travelodge confirmed that its position remains unchanged from its previous correspondence, stating: “There are no plans for the Upminster Travelodge to be used as asylum accommodation.”
The company also confirmed that it has never entered into an agreement with the Home Office to provide any of its hotels for this purpose, and that this remains the case.
The response provides a further written assurance following Julia’s representations on residents’ behalf.
Response from Travelodge:
Thank you for your email and for continuing to keep us updated on local sentiment around the development. Your follow up email is appreciated.
I can confirm that our position remains entirely unchanged from our previous correspondence. There are no plans for the Upminster Travelodge to be used as asylum accommodation. To date, Travelodge has never entered into any agreement with the Home Office to provide any of our hotels for this purpose, and this continues to be the case.
When it comes to Local Authorities, I can confirm that Travelodge, like many hotel operators, continues to work with local councils to support them with their temporary accommodation needs. We recognise the pressure they are under and how difficult this is for them and for the people who desperately need a home. For clarity, these guests are not those seeking asylum. We carefully manage these bookings and hold regular meetings with councils to ensure these are handled appropriately, and we make clear our hotels are not a long-term solution.
Furthermore, our hotel and operations teams have confirmed that no issues or community concerns have been reported at Upminster.
Our business model continues to be centred on providing affordable, quality accommodation for business and leisure travellers, which in turn brings additional footfall to local shops, restaurants, and attractions. The decision to invest in Upminster was based on a number of factors including expected consumer demand and our ongoing commitment to supporting local economies and high streets. We are confident that the new hotel will create local employment opportunities and support the wider community.
We remain fully committed to making a positive contribution to the local community. I appreciate your engagement on this matter.
