Premier Inn plans to open hotel here within two years

The company said it would like to provide between 65 and 100 bedrooms, but a spokesman said that the search for a site was in the early stages. ‘We can’t be specific about any locations just yet.’

News of its plans emerged in an open letter to Jersey businesses from Premier Inn & Restaurants managing director Simon Ewins, in which he commented on a successful first six months for the group’s hotel in St Helier.

The 91-bedroom hotel at Charing Cross has had thousands of guests, he said, and been at about 90% occupancy, with many nights sold out.

It formed part of a major development of the area by the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, but the Guernsey Press understands that the Co-op has not been involved in any plans for the company to open a hotel here.

‘We were confident we could make a meaningful contribution to the island but also mindful we were branching out into a new market,’ said Mr Ewins.

‘We hope to have the opportunity to bring more investment to the Channel Islands in the near future as we seek to grow as well as increase our contribution to the Islands’ overall leisure offer.

‘We would very much like to add another Premier Inn on Jersey and our first hotel on Guernsey within the next 24 months subject to being able to find suitable locations and conclude the necessary arrangements.’

The hotel in Jersey saw the recruitment of 30 members of staff and Mr Ewins said they had made a ‘terrific’ team and there had been ‘hugely encouraging’ feedback from guests.

‘We are looking to the future with confidence,’ he said.

. Premier Inn has 780 hotels in the UK and Ireland and hopes to have a total of 85,000 bedrooms by 2020.

A total of 31 new hotels were opened in the 2017/18 financial year, with 4,300 new bedrooms, and the company is aiming to achieve a similar results for the current year.

The chain is part of the Whitbread group, and started out as Travel Inn in 1987. The name was changed following the purchase of Premier Lodge in 2004.