The hotel brand says 15,000 rooms and more than 1,000 meeting spaces will be available to NHS staff, care workers, families, low-risk patients and over-70s to take the strain off hospital wards when the Covid-19 pandemic peaks.

There are currently 2,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK. 

“Since our offer to help at the weekend we have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our hotels,” said Andrew Denton, head of hotel services at Best Western Great Britain.

“Local hospitals, councils and local authorities have also been in touch directly asking for help and today we are repurposing our technology and our call centre to manage the interest and the demand. 

“We would love to plug our supply and support into the NHS system in a coordinated and organised manner.

“Every day counts now for people on the frontline of this crisis, so we want the NHS to know we are here to help.”

He urged other hotel chains to join Best Western in pledging support.