A BRAND new hotel could be coming to Ardrossan after Travelodge announced major plans for Scotland.

The company said that they are looking for 21 new hotel sites to expand its network of hotels across Scotland, including finding a suitable site in Ardrossan, which would be the first branded hotel in the town.

Expansion would represent investment of around £100million across the country and could create up to 400 new jobs.

Although no site has yet been agreed for Ardrossan, the former Irvine Bay development at Ardrossan's Quayside has a hotel plot situated next to the Quayside Building recently purchased by Cunninghame Housing Association.

Other possible sites in Ardrossan include the old St Peter's School on the shore front, the development at Ardrossan's North Shore or the old Seafield School on Eglinton Road.

Craig Bonnar, Travelodge’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “The value hotel market continues to go from strength to strength in Scotland, boosted by ever more cost-conscious businesses looking to reduce travel costs and the growth in independent leisure travel. To meet this growing demand, we have started the search to find 21 suitable sites across Scotland, where we can build a new Travelodge hotel.

"This includes Ardrossan, which is particularly exciting as we could make history by being the town’s first branded hotel."

The other locations set for a hotel are: Aviemore, East Kilbride, Edinburgh Park, Elgin, Falkirk, Galashiels, Glasgow (City Centre), Glasgow East M8, Glasgow SECC, Glasgow Silverburn, Glasgow West End, Greenock, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Loch Lomond (South), Montrose, Oban, Newton Mearns, Pitlochry and St Andrews