Boydell was heavily criticised over her handling of an incident in 2022 and concerns over safety across the chain, prompting former prime minister Keir Starmer to step in and urge her to \u201cseriously engage\u201d with the government on the issue after she cancelled a meeting with MPs.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5568.jpg\")
A Travelodge hotel is pictured in Redhill, south-east of London. Photograph: Ben Stansall\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
The hotel chain has come under fire for giving men the keys to women\u2019s rooms without asking the woman first.<\/p>\n
A guest at a Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire, was sexually assaulted by a man who had been given a key card to her room. Kyran Smith was jailed in February for seven-and-a-half years following the attack in December 2022. The victim was later offered what she described as an \u201cinsulting\u201d \u00a330 refund after the assault.<\/p>\n
This month, it emerged that there was another incident at a hotel in London.<\/p>\n
Travelodge staff gave a room key to the domestic abuser of a woman, who then physically attacked her. The woman, who is remaining anonymous, told the BBC<\/a> she was staying in a Travelodge in London to escape the man, but he followed her and was given a key by the reception staff.<\/p>\n They pointed him to her room, where she says he kicked in the door, assaulted her and tried to grab her phone. Travelodge has said such instances are \u201cvery rare\u201d and customer safety is a priority.<\/p>\n Reidy said today:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe remain focused on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and will continue taking the actions necessary to strengthen the business.<\/p>\n We will also continue to engage proactively and constructively with government and the wider hospitality industry on the issue of safety and security.<\/p>\n Stephen Shurrock, the Travelodge chairman, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis announcement does not change anything about our focus on safety and security. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Jo for her dedication to Travelodge over the last 13 years.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.19 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Brent crude jumps over $93 a barrel on Iran impasse<\/p>\n In the markets, oil prices have risen further to three-week highs as there is no sign of an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran.<\/p>\n Brent crude has jumped $1.46, or 1.6%, to just over $93 a barrel, the highest in three weeks. Oil prices have risen for the last five trading sessions, as the shaky ceasefire between Washington and Tehran expired on Monday.<\/p>\n The United Arab Emirates has suspended all financial and economic transactions with Iran until further notice.<\/p>\n Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks were taking place with Iran and claimed the strait of Hormuz was open while Iran said the key waterway remained shut. Then on Wednesday, the US president threatened \u201ctremendous economic consequences\u201d<\/a> against any country that provided \u201cany type of lifeline to Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said:<\/p>\n double quotation markTensions in the Middle East remain high, leaving room for further supply disruptions. Lower oil exports from the Middle East are once again tightening the oil market.<\/p>\n There are also headlines flashing on Reuters quoting Japan as saying that a North Korean missile has been fired and landed outside Japan\u2019s exclusive economic zone.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.54 EDT<\/p>\n Established in 1985, Travelodge is the second largest hotel brand in the UK with more than 610 hotels and 47,000 guest bedrooms, across the UK as well as in Ireland and Spain.<\/p>\n The company reported a 4.2% rise in first-half revenues to \u00a3491.3m this morning, with good leisure demand across London and outside the capital, while there are fewer corporate bookings, particularly in London.<\/p>\n Travelodge has opened three hotels so far this year across the UK and Spain.<\/p>\n Profits, measured by adjusted Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) rose slightly to \u00a347.9m from \u00a347.3m a year earlier.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s our full story on the departure of the hotel chain\u2019s boss:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Travelodge has set out the details of its security review, along with its latest financial results today. It claimed it had \u201cacted quickly to make changes to improve safety and security across our operations\u201d.<\/p>\n Most importantly, it has changed its room access security policy, so \u201cany additional or replacement room key now requires explicit permission from the guest staying in the room, the company said.<\/p>\n An independent review led by Paul Greaney KC, a leading barrister specialising in public inquiries concerning security, serious violent crime, and health and safety, to examine its room access security policies and escalation procedures<\/p>\n A partnership with a leading Violence Against Women and Girls expert who are delivering a tailored programme of senior leadership training.<\/p>\n Ongoing working with UK Hospitality, participating in their guest security working group, helping to develop industry guidance, which aims to promote best practice across the hospitality sector<\/p>\n An internal review, which is ongoing, and making a number of changes as a result, including changes to room access security policy. Any additional or replacement room key now requires explicit permission from the guest staying in the room. This builds on our existing policy to never confirm to any third party that a guest is staying at one of our hotels<\/p>\n A new room access security policy, now live across all 600+ hotels, backed by training for 12,000 customer-facing staff and ongoing independent audit and mystery shopper programmes<\/p>\n Management consultancy AlixPartners have been brought in to assess, audit, build and reinforce the work underway<\/p>\n A completed deadbolt audit across all UK rooms, confirming all key-card doors have a secondary deadbolt<\/p>\n Ongoing proactive engagement with parliament, government, and UK Hospitality\u2019s guest security working group.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.57 EDT<\/p>\n Travelodge boss resigns following criticism of handling of assaults<\/p>\n The boss of Travelodge has stepped down as the budget hotel chain scrambles to improve safety after two incidents where guests were assaulted at its hotels.<\/p>\n The firm said<\/a> Joanna Boydell left on Monday after 13 years with the company and will be replaced by chief financial officer Ray Reidy on an interim basis while they hunt for a permanent successor.<\/p>\n Boydell was heavily criticised over her handling of an incident in 2022 and concerns over safety across the chain, prompting former prime minister Keir Starmer to step in and urge her to \u201cseriously engage\u201d with the government on the issue after she cancelled a meeting with MPs.<\/p>\n A Travelodge hotel is pictured in Redhill, south-east of London. Photograph: Ben Stansall\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The hotel chain has come under fire for giving men the keys to women\u2019s rooms without asking the woman first.<\/p>\n A guest at a Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire, was sexually assaulted by a man who had been given a key card to her room. Kyran Smith was jailed in February for seven-and-a-half years following the attack in December 2022. The victim was later offered what she described as an \u201cinsulting\u201d \u00a330 refund after the assault.<\/p>\n This month, it emerged that there was another incident at a hotel in London.<\/p>\n Travelodge staff gave a room key to the domestic abuser of a woman, who then physically attacked her. The woman, who is remaining anonymous, told the BBC<\/a> she was staying in a Travelodge in London to escape the man, but he followed her and was given a key by the reception staff.<\/p>\n They pointed him to her room, where she says he kicked in the door, assaulted her and tried to grab her phone. Travelodge has said such instances are \u201cvery rare\u201d and customer safety is a priority.<\/p>\n Reidy said today:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe remain focused on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and will continue taking the actions necessary to strengthen the business.<\/p>\n We will also continue to engage proactively and constructively with government and the wider hospitality industry on the issue of safety and security.<\/p>\n Stephen Shurrock, the Travelodge chairman, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis announcement does not change anything about our focus on safety and security. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Jo for her dedication to Travelodge over the last 13 years.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.19 EDT<\/p>\n German factory gate inflation hits three-year high<\/p>\n In Germany, factory gate inflation hit a three-year high in July, adding to signs of fresh inflationary pressures in Europe\u2019s largest economy.<\/p>\n Prices charged by manufacturers for their goods, ranging from food to cars and tools, climbed 3% year on year last month following June\u2019s 1.8% rise, Germany\u2019s statistics office said<\/a>. Economists had expected an increase to 2.7%.<\/p>\n It was the biggest increase since April 2023. Producer prices feed into higher prices for consumers, and are seen as an early gauge of future inflation.<\/p>\n The price of intermediate goods jumped 5.4% while energy prices rose 3.8% year on year.<\/p>\n Compared with June, producer prices were up 1.1%.<\/p>\n Alexander Kr\u00fcger, chief economist at the German private bank Bethmann HAL, told Reuters:<\/p>\n double quotation markConditions at the early stages of the inflationary surge have suddenly become uncomfortable. The war involving Iran is leaving its mark, as it the heat.<\/p>\n A series of heatwaves and lack of rain have led to record low water levels in the Rhine and Danube, reducing shipping and pushing up transport costs.<\/p>\n Riverbanks during prolonged dry weather across Europe that has left the Rhine River at near-record low levels, disrupting German industries. Photograph: Leon Kuegeler\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.23 EDT<\/p>\n At the same time, new figures revealed that US debt had reached $40tn for the first time, the US treasury department said, after the government deficit doubled over the last decade.<\/p>\n The milestone marks years of government spending that grew under both Trump and Joe Biden. During his first term, Trump approved $8.4tn worth of debt, with a huge chunk going to Covid-19 relief spending, while Biden approved $4.3tn worth of debt, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget<\/a>.<\/p>\n