By Amanda MacMillan
SIMON Cowell, Ant and Dec and Vince Cable have topped the chart of the books that are most readily discarded in UK hotel rooms.
The annual ‘books left behind index’ by hotel chain Travelodge has revealed, that ‘The Unauthorised Biography’ of music mogul millionaire and TV talent judge Simon Cowell topped the 2010 charts.
In second place is the biography ‘Ooh! What a lovely pair’ by Britain’s most successful television duo Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – better known as Ant & Dec.
Vince Cable made third place with his best seller ‘The Storm: The World Economic Crisis and What It Means’.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman, said: “In the last 12 months we have had over 20,000 books left behind in our 452 hotels.
“Interestingly this year more thriller books have been left behind in Travelodge hotels than ever before.
“Celebrity biographies have maintained their position within the forgotten books index but we have seen a big decline in ‘Chicklit’ books being left behind by customers. It seems Britons want a thrilling mystery in their lives.
“It’s no surprise that Simon Cowell’s biography has topped our 2010 books left behind index; as the nation is fascinated by this music mogul, TV producer and entrepreneur. People are intrigued on what makes him tick as has the Midas touch.”
The hotel chain also surveyed its hotel managers to obtain a better insight into why customers leave their books behind in Travelodge hotels.
It found that most people had finished reading the book and rather than carrying it back home they have left it for someone else to read.
Other reasons were that customers genuinely left the book behind because it was hidden in the bed covers or that they got bored reading it.
The survey also showed that hotels in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and London had the most copies of Simon Cowell’s biography left behind.
While hotels in Edinburgh, Leeds and Newcastle had the most copies of the Karma Sutra tucked away under the bed sheets.
Listed below are the rest of the top ten reads left behind in Travelodge hotels over the last 12 months:
1. Simon Cowell: The Unauthorised Biography – Chas Newkey-Burden
2. Ooh! What a lovely Pair – Ant & Dec
3. The Storm: The World Economic Crisis and What it Means – Vince Cable
4. The Lost Symbol – Dan Brown
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Steig Larsoon
6. Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga) – Stephenie Meyer
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire – Steig Larsson
8. Eclipse – Stephine Meyer
9. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest – Steig Larsson
10. Eat Pray Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
