The latest St James' business has opened.

And Travelodge has opened its doors for the first time in Dover.

It started trading on Wednesday, March 28, and there will be an official opening at the end of this month.

The new hotel, at the new £53 million leisure and retail development, has 108 rooms on four floors.

The hotel, at the new £53 million leisure and retail development, has 108 rooms on four floors.

It also has the special feature of curved windows at the front offering guests views of Dover Castle plus the Harbour and Eastern Docks area with ferries sailing in and out.

Travelodge is confident it can thrive in the town despite being just a few hundreds yards from a direct rival, Premier Inn at Marine Parade.

Christine Cockburn, the company's new openings co-ordinator: "As a company we look into areas where we feel there is a need for reasonably priced accommodation and we felt that Dover has a need and we can thrive in the environment."

The hotel has 72 double rooms, 30 family ones and six designed for people with disabilities.

Rooms charges are from £29 a night.

The new Travelodge has created 30 jobs with staff paid the National Living Wage.

The team is lead by manager Paula Brown and assistant manager Ian Parker.

Ms Brown has been with the company for seven years and started at the Margate Westwood Travelodge in 2011.

Her first management post was at the company's Whitstable hotel from 2013 and she moved on to manage the Westwood, Ramsgate Seafront and then Brighton ones.

She now said: "I am delighted to be managing our first Travelodge in Dover. Our hotel is ideally positioned for business and leisure travellers.

"My strong team and I have worked around the clock to get the hotel ready in time for our influx of customers over the Easter holiday.

" The hotel has got off to a flying start and customers are loving our unlimited breakfast menu and the Travelodge Dreamer bed. We are very excited for the hotel's official opening at the end of the month."

The Travelodge, at Dover's St James' Street, is the 13th in Kent.

The company first started trading in Kent in 1987 when it opened the Medway M2 services branch.

St James', off Townwall Street, began its phased opening on March 9 with the Cineworld multiplex

Businesses such as Nando's, Poundland and The Food Warhouse, part of Iceland, have since opened.

Greggs and Costa Coffee are due to open shortly followed by others including Marks & Spencer.