Holiday Inn offers free showers for active workers in London pilot

In a London first, people who walk, run or cycle to work in Sutton town centre in south London can now enjoy free morning showers at a local hotel thanks to a new initiative from Smarter Travel Sutton.

During a six-month trial starting on Monday, employees who work in a building without a shower can use the changing rooms at the Holiday Inn London-Sutton on Gibson Road.

The pilot scheme aims to encourage more people to leave their car at home and walk, run or cycle to work, improving their health and productivity in the workplace while reducing congestion on the borough’s roads.

Their employer must be part of the Sutton Town Centre Business Travel Network, but if so they can simply turn up at the hotel with an ID card from 1 September and enjoy a free shower. They must bring their own soap and towels.

The offer is available to more than 5,000 staff employed by over 70 businesses in Sutton town centre.

Smarter Travel Sutton is a three-year, £5 million partnership project between Sutton Council and Transport for London (TfL) to reduce car use and promote sustainable travel.

Councillor Colin Hall, Executive Member for the Environment on Sutton Council, said: “People have told us that they would travel to work under their own steam more often if their workplace had showers.

“While many businesses encourage staff to use sustainable travel, not all have the money or the space to install changing facilities.

“I am therefore delighted that we have teamed up with one of the town’s biggest businesses to find a solution.”

Simon McLaughlin, Operations Manager at the Holiday Inn London-Sutton, said: “For Holiday Inn, being sensitive to the needs of our surrounding area is a key priority for us and we are always looking for ways that the local community can benefit from our presence.

“Smarter Travel Sutton is a great initiative that aims to get cars off our roads and encourage healthy lifestyles.

"We are therefore excited to be able to support the campaign and help promote the local economy while we collectively strive to improve the immediate environment for residents, businesses and guests alike.” 

David Rowe, Head of Core Programmes, Smarter Travel Unit at TfL, said: "This is a great opportunity for people in Sutton town centre to start cycling, running or walking to work, especially those who don't have shower facilities in their workplace and may have previously been put off the idea because of it. 

“Getting onto two wheels and walking are great ways to exercise as well as easy to incorporate into your everyday routine so we’d encourage those who can to make the most of the trial and discover firsthand the benefits of swapping their car for a bike ride or walk.”