A MAJOR hotel company is offering the chance for someone to earn thousands of pounds - by helping it find a site for a development in Felixstowe.

A MAJOR hotel company is offering the chance for someone to earn thousands of pounds - by helping it find a site for a development in Felixstowe.

Travelodge Hotels had been negotiating to turn the empty 32-bed Routemaster motel, and its closed down bar and restaurant, and function suite, into a smart, larger hotel for the business and holiday market.

But the deal with London-based Blazedeal Ltd has fallen through after the motel tenants hit financial problems.

Now Travelodge is offering a £500 a room bounty to anyone who can find them a site or alternative property.

Nick Dines, head of corporate communications, said: “Basically it means that if someone can find us a site or a property suitable for a 50 bed hotel, we will pay them 50 times £500 - a £25,000 reward!

“We are still very keen to come to Felixstowe as we believe it is in need of a branded budget hotel.

“There doesn't appear to be any chance of the deal we were hoping for being resurrected at the moment and so our only alternative is to look for another site.”

Planning permission had been secured for the Travelodge with Suffolk Coastal council approving plans for a 51-bed hotel.

There would have been an extended bar and restaurant for use of hotel customers as well as office staff based in the companies using the property in Walton Avenue, plus another extension to create another floor.

Blazedeal was also granted permission for 1,689 sq metres of offices in other parts of the building on the edge of the port, at the end of the A14, opposite Dock Gate One.

Anyone with an idea for a site or a property which could be converted or demolished should contact Jefferson Commercial on 01223 315716.

Does Felixstowe need a budget hotel - and is the port the right area? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk