Freddie van Mierlo MP Meets Travelodge Leadership to Discuss Hotel Safety
Freddie van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, has met with the senior leadership team at Travelodge’s headquarters in Thame to discuss guest and employee safety, following serious concerns about hotel room security.
The meeting follows a deeply concerning case in which a guest was sexually assaulted after a man was wrongly given access to her hotel room. There have also been a number of other reported incidents across the sector, highlighting that this is not an isolated case but a wider issue within the hotel industry.
During the meeting, Travelodge acknowledged the seriousness of these incidents and the need for improvement. The company outlined that initial changes to security processes and staff training have already begun and confirmed that an independent review led by Paul Greeney KC has been commissioned to examine procedures in detail.
Travelodge also indicated a willingness to engage with MPs on potential legislative approaches, including proposals such as the 10 Minute Rule Bill, and to share findings and improvements more widely across the industry, although had previously refused to meet with a group of MPs on the 18th March.
Commenting on this, Freddie van Mierlo MP said:
“Incidents like these are extremely serious and highlight the importance of robust systems to protect guests and staff. I was pleased to meet with Travelodge’s leadership team to discuss the steps they are taking, including their independent review and early changes to procedures.
As the local MP to Travelodge’s headquarters, I want to see the business succeed and do well. It employs around 300 people locally. But it will only succeed if it puts customer safety at the heart of its business and I made that clear to executives.
I will continue to engage with them to ensure that these improvements are delivered and that lessons are shared more widely.”