Travelodge CEO Dodges MP Meeting After Assault

A woman who endured a sexual assault at a Travelodge, facilitated by a wrongly issued key card, has voiced her dismay. She learned that the hotel chain's chief executive, Jo Boydell, cancelled a scheduled meeting with a group of Members of Parliament. These MPs aimed to address critical concerns about the case, including the security processes that led to the victim being offered a mere £30 refund.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed serious concern over the meeting's cancellation, urging the hotel chain to engage meaningfully with MPs regarding the "utterly appalling" assault. The survivor stated that a CEO has a responsibility to answer such questions and implement improvements, questioning why Boydell would avoid discussions on safeguarding. The chief executive has since apologized to the victim, asserting that immediate changes to door key policies were implemented.

Boydell acknowledged awareness of other instances where unauthorized individuals entered guest rooms, admitting that the escalation process failed in this specific case. She also expressed understanding for the survivor's feeling of insult regarding the initial compensation offer. Legal action against the hotel chain is reportedly underway by the woman, who was attacked by Kyran Smith in December 2022. Smith was subsequently jailed for seven and a half years.