BY GRACE Zigah
Travelodge chief executive Jo Boydell has stepped down from her position as the hotel group faces continued scrutiny over guest safety following a sexual assault at one of its hotels in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
The company announced that Boydell, who spent 13 years with Travelodge, would leave the business amid an ongoing review and overhaul of its security procedures.
Chief Financial Officer Ray Reidy has been appointed interim chief executive while the company searches for a permanent successor.
Her departure comes after intense criticism over the company’s handling of the safety concerns that emerged following the assault of a female guest at a Travelodge hotel in Maidenhead.
The victim was attacked by a man who had reportedly been given a key card providing access to her room.
The incident occurred in December 2022 and led to criminal proceedings against Kyran Smith, who was subsequently jailed for seven and a half years in February for the attack.
Boydell, who became Travelodge’s chief executive in May 2022 after serving as the company’s chief financial officer from March 2013, came under particular pressure as concerns about hotel security intensified.
The controversy eventually drew the attention of the UK Government, with former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging Boydell to engage seriously with ministers over the issue.
The intervention came after she cancelled a meeting with MPs to discuss concerns surrounding safety across the hotel chain.
The company said it had commissioned an independent review by Paul Greaney KC, while an internal review has also been undertaken. Among the measures introduced is a new room-access security system that has been implemented across more than 600 Travelodge hotels.
Under the revised procedures, a guest must now give explicit permission before an additional or replacement room key can be issued.
The company has also said that staff will never confirm to a third party whether a particular guest is staying at one of its hotels.
Travelodge has further undertaken checks to ensure that hotel room doors are fitted with functioning secondary deadbolts, adding another layer of protection for guests.
The company has also introduced additional training for its approximately 12,000 customer-facing employees. Hotel managers and other senior staff are participating in a training programme developed by an expert specialising in violence against women and girls.
Travelodge said the changes were designed to strengthen safety and security across its operations and rebuild confidence among guests.
In a statement following Boydell’s departure, interim chief executive Ray Reidy said the company remained focused on the safety and wellbeing of its customers.
