Home Money Premier Inn turns to robots to clean rooms after taking £70m hit from Budget

Premier Inn turns to robots to clean rooms after taking £70m hit from Budget

0 comments
Robo-cleaners: Premier Inn owner Whitbread said automating some cleaning tasks was part of a £50m cost-savings programme.

The owner of the Premier Inn will use robot vacuum cleaners to clean hotel rooms and save staff costs after taking a £70m budget hit.

Whitbread, also owner of the Beefeater restaurant chain, said automating some cleaning tasks was part of a £50m savings programme.

This will help offset the higher labor costs imposed by Rachel Reeves, which analysts estimate will cost the hotel owner £70m.

The company was already testing the devices ahead of the budget and believes they will help cleaners focus on other tasks.

Chief executive Dominic Paul praised “good progress” made to cut costs, as well as a £500m plan to convert restaurants into hotel rooms, aiming for 97,000 rooms in total.

Whitbread said it expected cost inflation to be between 2 and 3 per cent across the group, after taking into account its efforts to save cash.

Robo-cleaners: Premier Inn owner Whitbread said automating some cleaning tasks was part of a £50m cost-savings programme.

DIY INVESTMENT PLATFORMS

Easy investing and ready-to-use portfolios

AJ Bell

Easy investing and ready-to-use portfolios

AJ Bell

Easy investing and ready-to-use portfolios

Free Fund Trading and Investment Ideas

Hargreaves Lansdown

Free Fund Trading and Investment Ideas

Hargreaves Lansdown

Free Fund Trading and Investment Ideas

Fixed fee investing from £4.99 per month

interactive inverter

Fixed fee investing from £4.99 per month

interactive inverter

Fixed fee investing from £4.99 per month

Get £200 back in trading fees

sax

Get £200 back in trading fees

sax

Get £200 back in trading fees

Free trading and no account commission

Trade 212

Free trading and no account commission

Trade 212

Free trading and no account commission

Affiliate links: If you purchase a This is Money product you may earn a commission. These offers are chosen by our editorial team as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.

Compare the best investment account for you

You may also like