A TRAVELODGE could be built at Monks Cross North, Huntington – provided that a restaurateur is prepared to set up shop on the same site.

Ian McAndrew of York developers, the Helmsley Group, which heads up a consortium looking to develop 5.3 acres there, revealed today that, given planning consent, he had already agreed terms with Travelodge.

The plan is to build a 65-bedroom budget hotel in a £15 million mixed development which will include offices, a crèche, a dental clinic and, essentially, a food outlet and between them employ about 350 people There has already been huge interest in the offices and other aspects of the proposed mixed development on the site which was once known as Pigeoncote Farm.

But the snag is that in spite of canvassing restaurant chains and local food outlets, there have so far been no takers.

Mr McAndrew said: “Because Travelodges don’t have restaurants we need a food operator or pub or both, who can offer breakfast and supper – and who could also take advantage of the huge benefits of the site.

“These include the fact that in the immediate vicinity are the Monks Cross Shopping Park, existing businesses and offices which between them employ more than 1,000 people, not to mention hordes of shoppers throughout the week.”

He said as soon as there was firm interest in a food outlet, the consortium would submit a scheme to City of York planners.

Meanwhile, he failed to see why restaurateurs had not leapt at the opportunity.

“When you market these things, the big chain operators simply look at demographics on their PCs and say ‘no thanks’.

“But we in the locality all know how well such an operation would go at Monks Cross which does not really have this facility – only fast food and coffee shops, together with the likes of Pizza Hut.”

Through its agents, King Sturge, the prospect of a food outlet had now been leafleted to various local and regional food operators who understood all the advantages of being in a mixed development, and especially close to a Travelodge.”

The site, already has planning consent for employment use, but then Travelodge approached the Helmsley Group consortium about the possibility of setting up a hotel there.

At the time the prospect was welcomed by John Yeomans, chairman of Visit York, the city’s tourism organisation. “What’s important for York is that any new accommodation stock adds to the quality and diversity of our current hotel offering.”