Labour leader Keir Starmer has called on the CEO of Travelodge to engage seriously with Members of Parliament regarding concerns about women’s safety following a sexual assault at one of the chain’s hotels.
The incident occurred at the Maidenhead branch in 2022 when a man, Kyran Smith, deceived hotel staff in the early hours and gained access to a woman’s room by falsely claiming to be her boyfriend.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Jo Boydell emphasized the importance of women feeling safe and secure in the country, labeling violence against women and girls as a national emergency that requires immediate action.
Smith, who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for the assault, prompted Travelodge to issue an apology to the victim after offering a meager £30 as compensation.
Following the assault, Travelodge has implemented immediate changes and is set to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. Despite meeting with government representatives, including the Prime Minister, Chancellor, and safeguarding minister, Ms. Boydell has declined to answer questions from a larger group of MPs.
Nearly 100 MPs have requested an urgent meeting, which has been declined, leading two Labour MPs to explore the possibility of introducing a bill to enhance hotel safety regulations.
MPs have raised concerns about Travelodge’s security protocols, key card issuance procedures, safeguarding training, and measures to ensure the safety of women.
In a statement, Ms. Boydell assured that Travelodge is taking the situation seriously, having initiated changes to room access security policies and commissioned an independent review led by a prominent barrister specializing in security and violent crime.
The company has invited MPs to contribute to the independent review and is committed to expediting the review process to strengthen their security measures.
