Travelodge opens in Rotherham
Flagship leisure project Forge Island has its first operational occupier, with the opening of the town’s first branded hotel, the group’s 36th Yorkshire destination.
Travelodge Rotherham Central offers 69 bedrooms at Forge Island, a once-derelict site being redeveloped by Muse in partnership with the local authority.
The Forge Island project team includes Bowmer + Kirkland, Arup, Helm Consulting, re-form Landscape Architecture and Arcadis, with a new pedestrian bridge designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects.
Fit-out is under way at Forge Island for an eight-screen Arc cinema, the town’s first movie theatre in more than 30 years, which is expected to open to the public in September.
Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Chris Read, said: “The development is the single biggest investment in our town centre for decades, with our town centre masterplan being a testament to the Council’s dedication to investing in Rotherham’s future.
“We are well on track to officially opening Forge Island to visitors in 2024 and to delivering a fantastic town centre development which will not only benefit the economy, but which will provide a fantastic leisure destination in the heart of the town.”
Travelodge said that the hotel has been developed to its new premium design, the group’s most significant brand transformation to date. The new design includes a redesigned reception, ‘next-generation’ rooms, and sustainable building features including PV cells and EV charging points.
The building, close to Rotherham’s train and tram interchange, has a BREEAM Very Good rating and an EPC rating of B.
Tony O’Brien, UK development director, Travelodge, said: “With its new premium design and great location, I have no doubt that our hotel in Rotherham will be a strong addition to the area. We have a fantastic hotel team in place and are already receiving very positive feedback from customers.”
Raife Gale, senior development manager at Muse, added: “The hotel opening marks the first opportunity to welcome people to Forge Island, and with other tenants working hard to complete their fit outs it won’t be long before more residents and visitors will be able to experience all that Forge Island has to offer.”
Together with Rotherham Markets, the improvements are a key part of Rotherham Council’s large-scale regeneration plans aimed at breathing new life into the heart of the borough.
