THE first bricks have been laid at the site of a new hotel set to open in Edmonton Green later this year.

Travelodge have taken over a plot of land on the Edmonton Green Shopping Centre and have started construction on the 73-bed hotel which is due to open in November.

Neil Short, from Travelodge, said the firm decided to invest in the borough after the success of a hotel in an area of Barking with similarities to Edmonton.

He said: “We are focusing on London at the moment and Edmonton Green has a huge population – a lot of people with relatives coming to stay and looking for somewhere to stay.

“We see this as a step forward for Edmonton and a boost for the night-time economy as more people come into the area.

“We would love to see generators of people coming into the area being planned for Edmonton, such as theatres, pubs and restaurants, and cinemas.

“Leisure facilities that improve the night-time economy are a huge driver for firms like Travelodge when looking at investing in an area.”

Andy Love, MP for Edmonton, welcomed the new hotel as a “clear signal” that businesses were open to investing in the area.

Gary Morris, senior development manager of St Modwen, which runs the Edmonton Green Shopping Centre, added the new hotel was the first step out of the doldrums of the recession which had put major development on hold since 2008.