Wolverhampton aiming to attract major hotel chain

Wolverhampton Council is forming a plan to 'attract and sustain a franchise hotel chain in the city', a new report has shown.

Chiefs are keen to continue the regeneration of the city, which will include the rebuild of the train station and extension of the Midland Metro. It comes after plans to almost double the size of the Novotel on the ring road were revealed last month.

Officials at the authority are working up a plan to try and attract a major chain and say they want to improve the hotel offerings in the city, a new report revealed. There are several hotels in and around Wolverhampton city centre, including the Ramada Park Hall and the Mount as well as the Redwings on Waterloo Road.

They said they would look to identify potential sites in the city meeting the needs of hotel chains.

Councillor Milkinder Jaspal, a former cabinet member at the authority, believes better-quality hotels are needed in the city.

Outstanding

He said: "We have been trying for the last eight to 10 years to get a four or five-star brand into the city. We really do need it.

"The Connaught on the Tettenhall Road has closed and we have got some others but we really need something outstanding that will attract people. With everything else going on around the city and the redevelopment taking place over the next 10 to 15 years it is much-needed."

Councillor Jaspal added: "Wolverhampton is nearly landlocked and that's a problem. But there will be an opportunity and there will be sites coming up."

A report said the Wolverhampton Hotel Strategy Framework would look at 'reviewing opportunities in the short, medium and long-term, matching sites to hoteliers requirements'.

The city's Novotel, which overlooks the ring road near the crown court, is in line for a massive expansion. An extra 59 bedrooms will be added at the hotel, under plans released in August.