INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels is to push ahead with a major hotel opening programme in the UK as it revealed a big rise in half-year profits.

The operator of the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Staybridge brands intends to increase its UK estate by a further 28 hotels from the current total of 269, an expansion that will create up to 3,000 jobs.

The roll-out includes a new InterContinental at Westminster and a Holiday Inn and Staybridge near the Olympics site.

The group, which operates its hotels mainly on a franchise basis, said underlying profits rose by 23% to £165m in the six months to June.

Revenues per room rose by 6.7%.