A hotel chain is plotting a multi-million-pound investment in Weston, hoping to capitalise on a ‘shortage of good quality accommodation’.

Travelodge is targeting the seafront as a possible location for a new outpost, hoping to add to its 500-strong list of hotels across the UK, which includes a site at Haywood Village.

A spokesman told the Mercury: “The Weston economy is growing at pace with increasing visitor numbers to the area.

“However, there is still a shortage of good quality accommodation at a great value price, which is why we are excited to be looking at a site in which to expand.”

Weston has enjoyed a boom in hotel building in the past two years, with Travelodge opening at Haywood Village, and planning consent was recently granted for a 119-bedroom Holiday Inn Express hotel at Weston Gateway Business Park.

The Premier Inn at Hutton Moor is also undergoing a sizeable expansion, and the same firm opened a hotel-restaurant at Dolphin Square in 2012.

The spokesman added the Haywood Village Travelodge is ‘trading very well’ and the firm is ‘committed to Weston’.

But despite identifying a need for ‘good quality, value accommodation’ in the town, the spokesman said ‘it’s too early’ to confirm a possible site for the hotel.

A new hotel would be part of a £32million investment across Somerset, with Minehead, Taunton and Yeovil also targeted in a project which could create 100 jobs in the county.

Upon the approval of the Holiday Inn scheme in August, North Somerset Council’s executive member for economic development, Elfan Ap Rees, said the boom in hotel building signals ‘exciting times for Weston’.

He said: “It is all good news, and more rooms are needed.

“We are finding families are looking for good-quality accommodation and hotels like Premier Inn and Travelodge have demonstrated if you provide quality people will book.”

Cllr Ap Rees believes efforts to revitalise the town centre are proving successful in luring people to Weston.

He added: “It is clear the regeneration of Weston is attracting business for both tourism and business opportunities.”