Thurso development part of 'exciting year' for Premier Inn
THE Premier Inn currently being built in Thurso is among a series of developments by the national chain that will bring 735 new hotel beds to Scotland this year.
The owner Whitbread has confirmed it will be opening five new hotels north of the border during 2020. As well as the 85-bed Premier Inn on Thurso's former auction mart site there will be new hotels at Glasgow’s St Enoch Square (249 beds), Edinburgh’s Princes Street (136), Hamilton (96) and Aviemore (60).
Additional room capacity is also being created in branches at Edinburgh East, Fort William and Inverness West.
The company says the openings represent an investment of more than £70 million and will create an estimated 200 jobs across the country.
Thurso will be the most northerly Premier Inn in the UK. It is set to open at the end of the year, a spokeswoman said.
Premier Inn managing director Simon Ewins said: “We’re gearing up for an exciting year in Scotland with a variety of new hotels ranging from a 249-bed mega-hotel a central Glasgow location to our most northerly site in the UK in Thurso.
“From its world-class cities to the jaw-dropping Highlands, Scotland’s tourist offer is hard to beat and we’re pleased to help make it even easier for both leisure and business travellers to enjoy the country affordably."
Premier Inn is opening 37 hotels during the course of the calendar year UK-wide, comprising around 4000 rooms.
Premier Inn says that when it opens in a new location up to 80 per cent of new jobs go to former “NEETS” (people not previously in education, employment or training).
Related article: Construction work on Thurso Premier Inn hotel gets under way