Budget hotel chain Travelodge is to hire 4,000 staff in housekeeping roles during 2020 - a number of which will be in Kent.

The roles will be created as part of its on-going expansion plans and available in new hotels it plans to open nationwide this year.

Jobs are also available for additional cover during the busy summer months with some 150 roles available immediately - 18 of which are in the South East.

The company describes the roles as 'housekeeping heroes'.

Rebecca Baker, Travelodge director of talent and people proposition, said: “National Bed Month is a great opportunity to celebrate Travelodge’s Heroes, our housekeeping colleagues who collectively make around 14 million beds a year. That’s no easy task so we are looking for reinforcement and kick starting our Housekeeping Heroes search today to create 4,000 positions across the UK throughout the year.

“We have made it our mission to help unemployed parents return to work in the hospitality sector and working in housekeeping is a great route in. At Travelodge we have a strong established workforce of working parents, offering jobs close to home, flexible hours that can work around the school run, benefits that suit families and a career path into management specifically for mums and dads.”

When the chain announced its Sittingbourne outlet - which opened last month - it received 1,500 job applicants.

It also recently opened in Rochester and has also won planning permission for a hotel close to Sandwich's Discovery Park.

Travelodge operates across the county with hotels in Canterbury, Ashford, Whitstable, Maidstone, Medway and Dover.

It has previously announced it has plans to build further sites around the county as part of its bid to fill the demand for hotel rooms.

The moves comes after tourism chiefs highlighted the growing need for hotels in the county.

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