Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has voiced serious concerns after the chief executive of Travelodge cancelled a scheduled meeting with Members of Parliament. The hotel chain faces intense scrutiny following a disturbing incident where a guest was sexually assaulted by a man who obtained a key card to her room.
Jailed Attacker and Hotel Security Failures
Kyran Smith, from Staines in Surrey, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in February for the assault, which occurred at a Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in December 2022. Smith deceived reception staff by falsely claiming to be the victim's boyfriend, and the woman later reported that staff informed her Smith had passed security checks by providing her name.
Political Pressure Mounts in Parliament
During Prime Minister's Questions, Labour MP Matt Bishop for the Forest of Dean raised the issue, highlighting that Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell had refused to attend a meeting with wider parliamentary members to address guest safety and safeguarding concerns. Bishop stated that this refusal "only deepens the lack of trust in the company's commitment to protecting women and vulnerable guests."
He urged Sir Keir to meet with him and invite the CEO to discuss the matter, asking the Prime Minister to join in urging Boydell to explain her unwillingness to face scrutiny. In response, Sir Keir emphasized that his thoughts were with the victim and expressed being "very concerned" about the cancelled meeting.
The Prime Minister declared, "I would urge them to reconsider. That meeting needs to go ahead with relevant MPs and with the relevant minister, and the sooner it goes ahead, the better."Travelodge's Response and Policy Changes
In a statement issued on Sunday, CEO Jo Boydell apologised to the victim and outlined immediate actions taken by the company. She confirmed that Travelodge has implemented "immediate changes" to its door key policy and commissioned an independent review led by Paul Greaney KC, a barrister specialising in public inquiries related to security and violent crime.
Boydell noted that she had already met with MPs and ministers on Monday, including Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, and Alex Davies-Jones, minister for victims and tackling violence against women and girls. Other attendees included Matt Bishop, Jen Craft, Catherine Fookes of Monmouthshire, and Helena Dollimore of Hastings and Rye, who serve as parliamentary private secretaries to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The company has also requested recommendations from ministers on a leading violence against women and girls expert to collaborate with Greaney on the review. Travelodge has offered all interested MPs the opportunity to contribute in writing to the independent review, ensuring their input is fully considered.
"Our immediate priority is to progress this important work at pace, progressing our independent review and further strengthening our processes," Boydell stated.Ongoing Scrutiny and Public Safety Concerns
The cancellation of the meeting with MPs has sparked broader debates about corporate accountability and guest safety in the hospitality industry. With the Prime Minister's intervention, pressure is mounting on Travelodge to engage transparently with parliamentary oversight. The case underscores critical issues around security protocols and the protection of vulnerable guests, particularly women, in hotel settings.
As the independent review proceeds, stakeholders await further developments, hoping for strengthened safeguards to prevent such incidents in the future. The political and public focus remains firmly on ensuring that Travelodge and similar establishments prioritise customer safety above all else.
