- Jo Boydell is stepping down after 13 years with Travelodge.
- The hotel chain is overhauling room-access procedures following a 2022 sexual assault.
- More than 600 hotels have introduced new room-access security measures.
Travelodge’s chief executive Jo Boydell is stepping down as the hotel chain continues to face scrutiny over its guest safety procedures following a sexual assault at one of its hotels.
Boydell, who joined Travelodge 13 years ago and became chief executive in May 2022, will leave the business and be replaced on an interim basis by chief financial officer Ray Reidy while the company searches for a permanent successor.
Her departure comes as Travelodge continues to overhaul its hotel security procedures after a woman was sexually assaulted at its Maidenhead hotel in December 2022. Kyran Smith was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for the attack.
Travelodge has not said that Boydell's departure was directly linked to the assault.
The company said it had acted quickly to strengthen its safety procedures and was continuing to work on changes following an independent review by Paul Greaney KC.
The security failure that triggered the overhaul
The assault exposed concerns over how room keys were being issued.
Smith obtained a key card to the victim's room after giving staff misleading information, allowing him to gain access to her room.
The incident prompted scrutiny of Travelodge's procedures and led to an independent review. Boydell later apologised to the victim and said the company had made immediate changes to its door-key policy.
Travelodge said a new room-access system is now in place across more than 600 of its hotels.
Under the revised rules, a guest must give explicit permission before an additional or replacement room key can be issued. The company also said it will never confirm to a third party whether a particular guest is staying at one of its hotels.
Travelodge has also checked that hotel rooms with key-card access have a secondary deadbolt and introduced additional training for its 12,000 customer-facing employees.
The company said its senior managers are also undertaking training developed by an expert specialising in violence against women and girls.
The changes followed claims that staff had previously issued duplicate keys without carrying out the necessary security checks.
Why is the boss leaving?
Boydell was appointed chief executive after almost a decade as Travelodge's chief financial officer. She will now leave the company after 13 years.
Ray Reidy, who will run the business on an interim basis, said Travelodge remained focused on the safety and wellbeing of its guests and would continue taking steps to strengthen the business.
The company said it would also continue engaging with the government and wider hospitality industry on hotel safety and security.
Boydell had faced pressure over Travelodge's handling of the Maidenhead assault. In March, she was due to meet MPs to discuss safety concerns at the hotel chain, but the meeting was cancelled.
The victim later criticised the decision, saying she was shocked that the chief executive would not engage with questions about what had happened and how the company planned to improve its procedures.
Boydell subsequently apologised in interviews with the BBC and ITV, saying she was genuinely sorry about the company's handling of the incident.
The former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer also urged her to engage seriously with the government over the issue.
Travelodge has since introduced a series of changes, but the company's latest leadership move comes as questions over hotel security remain in focus.
For guests, the issue is ultimately straightforward: a hotel room is expected to be a private and secure space. Travelodge is now trying to ensure its key-card systems and staff procedures are strong enough to keep it that way.
