Suffolk MPs promised meeting with Travelodge CEO over security concerns
A woman was attacked in her bed after staff gave a man she didn't know the key card to her room
Suffolk MPs have been promised a meeting with the Travelodge CEO to discuss safety concerns after a woman was sexually assaulted at one of its hotels.
Jo Boydell, CEO of Travelodge, has promised MPs a meeting to discuss the concerns after a woman, who has not been named, was attacked in her hotel bed at Travelodge Maidenhead Central in December 2022.
Kyran Smith was sentenced on January 23 to seven-and-a-half years in prison for one count each of trespass with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence and sexual assault.
He was given a key card to her room by a member of staff after lying about being her boyfriend.
The case sparked calls, spearheaded by Matt Bishop and Jen Craft, Forest of Dean and Thurrock MPs, for a meeting with Travelodge to address ‘deeply concerning questions’.
Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, was among those who signed a letter demanding the meeting to ensure measures were put in place to reassure women they were safe when staying at a Travelodge.
The MP, who was appointed as the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) advisor in December, said Travelodge failed to protect the woman and criticised its decision to issue a £30 voucher as compensation.
Travelodge apologised for the way it handled the incident.
Ms Asato said: “Anyone staying away from home would expect the hotel they are staying in to have strong procedures for protecting their safety.
“Every business has a role to play in tackling violence against women and girls, and it is a responsibility that hotels must take extremely seriously.”
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, MP for Suffolk Coastal, also signed the letter and said both the crime and the way it was handled were shocking.
She said: “For many women – and indeed men – the fear of this type of assault happening to them is something that sits in the back of your mind when staying alone in a hotel. But you push it to the back of your mind because you ‘trust’ that it won’t happen to you.
“No person staying in a hotel should have to worry that sexual predators can gain access to their room when they sleep alone at night.”
Ms Boydell said Travelodge was ‘deeply sorry’ for the ‘significant distress’ experienced by the victim of Smith’s assault.
She said: “We have apologised to her for the way the incident has been handled and have invited her to meet with us to discuss how we can further improve our procedures.
“I am committing to an independent review of our room security policies to learn from this incident and further strengthen our procedures.
“Our guests deserve to be reassured that their safety and security are of the utmost importance to us”.