Travelodge agrees 30-year lease for Douglas development

Plans agreed for hotel chain to occupy Villiers Square site

Travelodge has agreed a 30-year lease with the developers of the Villiers Square site in Douglas.

It'll be the company's first hotel on the Island.

The Tevir Group received planning permission to build the multi-million pound development on the site back in April.

The old hotel was demolished in the 1980s and it's been empty ever since apart from the odd Christmas market or outdoor concert.

Tevir's plans involve constructing two buildings - the first would have a mixture of office and retail space, including a gym and an underground carpark.

The second is a six-storey hotel with capacity for 80 beds.

It's that building that Travelodge has today announced it'll be taking on the lease for.

It will also have an on-site restaurant that's going to be called 85 Bar Cafe.

As part of the planning application, the Department for Enterprise said the plans would develop on a number of goals of government's Island Plan and therefore supports the proposals.

Meanwhile Visit Isle of Man said it was 'fully supportive' of the scheme because of the need for hotel accommodation on the Island after a continued loss over the last 10 years.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director, Travelodge said: "This new Travelodge in Douglas will be an excellent addition to our hotel portfolio and we couldn’t be more delighted to open our first hotel on the Isle of Man. We have been looking for a suitable opportunity to open a new Travelodge here for many years, and Villiers Square is the perfect site for a new, modern hotel that will provide great value and quality accommodation for leisure and business visitors to the island.

"We are excited for construction to begin in the new year and want to thank our Development Team of Whitestone Retail & Leisure and Baker Hollingworth for their hard work in securing and delivering this fantastic new project."

Ciaran Doherty, Managing Director, Tevir Group said: "We are delighted to confirm Travelodge as our initial tenant on this landmark project, which will play an important role in enhancing Douglas’ hospitality offering.

"Villiers Square is a prominent development in our City Centre, and the addition of a well-recognised, trusted brand like Travelodge will make it even more attractive to both business and leisure travellers visiting the Isle of Man.

"This collaboration aligns with our vision for Villiers Square as a dynamic mixed-use space in the heart of Douglas. We are proud to contribute to the island’s tourism and hospitality goals and look forward to seeing construction begin in early 2025 and want to thank our Design Team and the Team from Travelodge for their hard work to bring the project to this exciting point."

Construction of the project is due to start in early 2025.