Golden Tulip UK Announces £40m Expansion

Golden Tulip UK has agreed to open three new hotels at Gatwick Airport, Doncaster and York, which will have a combined development value in excess of £40m. The hotels, which are expected to open in autumn 2008, will add nearly 450 rooms to the group's portfolio. The company also plans to open Tulip Inns in Stoke/Trentham, Sheffied, Manchester Airport and Belfast, as well as the Golden Tulip Bournemouth, within the next 14 months. The 204-room Tulip Inn Gatwick will be the company's largest hotel under its Tulip brand so far and will be located at the Manor Royal Business Park, two miles from the airport.

The 112-room Tulip Inn Doncaster is part of Lazarus Properties' £12m development scheme in Higher Fisher Gate, and will be the first hotel to be built in the town for 40 years. The hotel will be the company's third Tulip Inn in Yorkshire, after the Tulip Inn Leeds/Castleford, which opened in 2005, and the Tulip Inn Sheffield, which is due to open in July next year. The 126-room Golden Tulip York will be the company's third Golden Tulip and second to open in 12 months. Peter Roberts, chief executive, said: "We are confident the Tulip Inn Gatwick will benefit from the 8 million passengers who already arrive at Gatwick annually from Europe where the Golden Tulip and Tulip brands are well-established. "In addition, whilst there are a large number of hotels in the Gatwick area, these are primarily budget or 4-star models and this hotel will be the area's first limited service, new generation three star hotel. "Doncaster was chosen because of its accessibility to motorway and rail networks, its significant business and industrial growth, the attractions of the new Frenchgate shopping centre and the proximity of Robin Hood airport. "By building a Golden Tulip hotel in York we believe we are fulfilling the needs of both the leisure and business communities by providing a niche four star hotel." The company plans to have 25 hotels by the end of 2009.

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