With the merger of Premier Inn and Travelodge on the cards, the question arises as to who would run this £3 billion budget room behemoth.

The immediate contenders are industry veterans Patrick Dempsey, at the helm of Whitbread's Premier Inn, and Grant Hearn, who heads Travelodge. Both men have worked for both of the rival chains.

It could be argued that Mr Hearn would hit the ground running, having run the Whitbread chain under its former name of Travel Inn.

Last month marked five years since Mr Hearn, who has spent a lifetime in hospitality, took over at Travelodge. His father worked with Charles Forte for more than 20 years, and he followed him into the business. Married to Diane for more than 20 years, the father of three was managing director for the UK and Ireland arm of the Hilton group and chief operating officer for the Marriott brand.

Mr Hearn, who sits on the board of Visit London, plans to expand Travelodge from its current 20,000 rooms to 70,000 by 2020, putting it head-to-head with rival Premier Inn, may have to be reassessed.

Yet it could be said he saw this merger coming. “I know the business is going to be sold,” he said in an interview this year, “and there is certainty in that.”

A deal would not be the first change in ownership of Travelodge under Mr Hearn's leadership. He made a tidy sum for himself and a small fortune for Travelodge's previous owner, the private equity firm Permira, which sold the business two years ago to Dubai International Capital, which ironically outbid Whitbread, paying £675 million.

It now looks as though the British group may get its wish after all.