Whitbread launches Lincolnshire training centre to support young people with learning disabilities

Whitbread has opened a new Premier Inn training centre in Lincolnshire to support young people with learning disabilities into meaningful employment.

The training centre was launched at Lincolnshire County Council’s InspireU campus and features three ensuite bedrooms, a reception desk, corridor and linen room, identical to Premier Inn’s regular hotels.

The facility forms part of Whitbread’s Thrive programme, which was established to create employment opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Over the summer, the programme also launched in the Liverpool City region, supporting students at Wirral Met College, in addition to those at long-standing partnership schools, Derwen College in Oswestry and Hereward College in Coventry.

The Lincolnshire outlet will be shared out across local special schools, colleges and adult services and enable progression into supported internships or permanent roles within Premier Inn hotels.

By 2026, Whitbread aims to create 100 supported internships annually to help close the disability employment gap.

Rachel Howarth, chief people officer of Whitbread, said: “At Whitbread, we believe there should be no barriers to entry and no limits to ambition — and Thrive proves that when employers step up, real change happens. None of this would be possible without the hard work of our partners, colleagues and local communities, and I want to thank everyone who has helped bring it to life.

“Fewer than 5% of people with learning disabilities are in paid employment – we want to help change that by creating practical routes into work for young people with special education needs and disabilities. It’s incredibly exciting to see the project gain momentum and strength and we can’t wait to help more young people into work.”

Councillor Natalie Oliver, lead member for children’s services and culture at Lincolnshire County Council, added: “By giving young people with learning disabilities the chance to train in a real hotel environment, we are opening doors to opportunity and independence. It is a major step forward for inclusive education and employment in Lincolnshire.”

Whitbread is the owner of Premier Inn, the UK’s largest hotel brand, and operates 86,000 rooms in the UK.

It also has a growing presence in Germany, offering 11,000 rooms.

Whitbread is one of the participants in a current recruitment drive by the Choose Hospitality Pledge, an initiative launched in 2021 to stimulate interest in the benefits of a career in hospitality.

The group’s latest financial results showed Premier Inn’s revenue per available room (revpar) fell by 2%, but the business said it had outperformed the midscale and economy market.