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India’s OYO Rooms to strengthen its business in the UK

INDIA’S booming hotel operator, OYO Rooms aims to open 500 sites in Britain as part of its expansion strategy.

Founded by Ritesh Agarwal, 25, the company already operates 35 hotels in the UK.


The hospitality firm plans to expand its business aggressively in the next 24 months in a direct challenge to hospitality giants- Premier Inn and Travelodge in the British market.

Jeremy Sanders, the co-founder of restaurant chain Coco di Mama is responsible to manage and expand OYO business in the UK.

The six year old business has already raised over £775 million from investors including SoftBank and Airbnb.

India’s one of the leading start-up valued at £3.84 billion by a funding round led by Japan’s SoftBank in 2018.

The firm operates over 8,500 hotels in India and has significant presence in China, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

OYO doesn’t build or own hotels. It approaches the independent hotel owners and offers to invest to improve their business. Thus, the hotels are re-branded as OYO Rooms.

OYO is responsible to upgrade, reshape, and alter the hotel rooms to improve the facilities in a bid to attract more customers and ultimately improve the hotel business significantly.

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Priyanka Patel Inclusive Diwali

Diwali-themed event in Coventry marks the next partnership between The Empowered Desi and local business Sugar and Spice

Tristan Potter

Priyanka Patel’s Empowered Desi brings inclusive Diwali celebration to Coventry

Highlights

  • Diwali celebration tomorrow kicks off business with ticketed workshops and networking.
  • Model taps into growing demand for inclusive, heritage-focused experiences.
  • Platform targets not just south Asians seeking cultural connection, but everyone.

Creating cultural belonging

Priyanka Patel, curator of The Empowered Desi, a new events platform for south Asians seeking cultural connection, is here with a Diwali celebration on Saturday (18) at Fargo Village in Coventry. The venture was born from personal experience – Patel felt "isolated and neglected" growing up without many south Asian friends. Spotting a gap in the market, she's now building a business around creating inclusive spaces for south Asians regardless of religious or regional background.

Diwali-themed , Paint N Sip event in Coventry marks the venture's next partnership with local business Sugar and Spice, Patel is offering a ticketed experience featuring diya decorating workshops, Indian grazing boards with chai, and jewellery stations where guests can take home jhumkas and bangles. The Diwali format combines cultural celebration with networking opportunities, with south Asian attire preferred.

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