How does the owner of a 3 Star hotel make a go of it nowadays? In John Jenkinson’s case it’s by making sure that his guests never forget their stay. He owns the Evesham Hotel in Worcestershire. When I arrived after a five hour journey from Cumbria he greeted me wearing a duck tie- not a tie with a duck design on it, but a duck soft toy made into a tie. He grabbed my bags without asking ( a first in a 3 star hotel) and escorted me to my room, which was decorated in a “tropical fish” theme, which included a real aquarium under the basin in the bathroom. The key fob was a full sized teddy bear.
The whole hotel is quirky in a similar fashion and it was fun to stay in and I think it must be fun for the staff, as 14 of them have been there for more than 25 years. On this particular night there seemed to be more staff than guests, which may mean that fun comes at a price. But I’m sure that won’t worry the ebullient Mr Jenkinson one jot.
Archive for the ‘Hotels’ Category
Friday, July 16th, 2010
The Evesham Hotel
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
Taking over the Sawry Hotel
The Sawrey Hotel is at Cuckoo Brow, about which Beatrix Potter wrote one of her tales, and although it calls itself a hotel, in reality its a pub with rooms, 19 of them. It has been serving beer for more than 300 years, the last 42 of them by the Brayshaw family, but from today by Dan Shrieber, who became the Landlord, in a joint venture with South Lakes Hotels. Soon after we had completed all the formalities of the purchase I got chatting with an elderly couple who were staying in the hotel. They told me that they had been coming to the Sawry Hotel for 55 years and stayed 8 times last year. I’m sure this makes them the Lake District’s most loyal customers- which says a lot for the Brayshaw family and gives Dan quite a lot to live up to.
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
The Riverside Gunman Part 2
My posting of March 2nd, 2010 told the story of how armed policemen surrounded the Riverside Hotel and arrested a gunman, after disabling him with a Tazer. We have since been told that after being challenged the gunman reached for his gun and might have been shot dead by the waiting marksmen if he hadn’t fumbled, giving the police enough time to deploy the Tazer.
The gunman was Thomas Hayes, who appeared at South Lakeland Magistrates Court today and pleaded guilty to the following charges: possessing an imitation firearm in a public place.
As related earlier, our manager, Helen Clark displayed exceptional courage and presence of mind and she received the following commendation from the police, ‘I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you and your staffs’ assistance with the incident that occurred at the Riverside Hotel on Tuesday 2nd March 2010. Your staff stayed calm and did exactly what we asked; without alerting the suspects – thus keeping the vicinity safe for customers, themselves, our officers and potentially other members of the public.’
Helen had been keeping an eye on the villain because she suspected him of making off with £180 in tips when he had been in the hotel with two friends the previous day. It turns out that it was one of the friends who had filched the tips. The tips have been returned and the the culprit was let off with a caution.
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Hotel of the Year Awards
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The girls from the Riverside, pictured here, created a sensation at the Cumbria Tourism awards where they were one of three finalists for “Hotel of the Year”. Stuart Maconie, the host, couldn’t keep his eyes off them and there’s no doubt he would have awarded them the first prize if it had been his choice, if only, as he put it, because they had “scrubbed up nicely”.
I was very proud to see them there- they have worked very hard to transform the Riverside into one of the best in the county. In the end, the accollade went to the four star
Armathwaite Hall- the place where Gordon Brown stayed last summer-and I suppose they deserve some consolation for that
Monday, April 26th, 2010
The Swifts have Arrived
The sun was warm but the wind was chill
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes over the frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.
Robert Frost
The first thing I do when I unwrap Country Life on a Wednesday evening is turn to the inside back page and read Carla Carlisle’s column. She never disappoints. I’m indebted to her for this stanza from Robert Frost’s poem, ‘Two Tramps in Mud Time’. Spring may be late and erratic this year, but the swifts have arrived at Damson Dene dead on time as usual. I suppose that when they set off from Africa, or wherever they have spent the winter, they won’t know what the weather is like in the Lyth valley. They depend entirely on flying insects for their food, so if the insects aren’t about because the weather is too cold or too wet, they can’t survive.
The swifts at Damson Dene nest just above the entrance to Reception, which is a bit of a nuisance as we have to clear their droppings from the pathway every day. But no-one minds because it’s a joy to have them around, whatever the weather.
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Lakes Hospitality Association AGM
We are often asked what is the point of the Lakes Hospitality Association, when the tourism industry is already represented by Cumbria Tourism. There are many reasons, not least that the LHA is independent, doesn’t rely on public funds for its existence and can therefore feel free to speak out on any issue without fear of its funding being withdrawn. But the main reason is that a little bit of competition is good for the soul, it keeps people on their toes and counteracts complacency. Today we reviewed the very long list of the LHA’s achievements over the last year, and one of these was the TV advertising campaign which we undertook to try to counter the sharp decline in trade after the floods. The LHA were first off the mark with a series of TV ads, which were 20 seconds long and used professional film. The ads were designed to capitalise on “The Lakes”, which was shown in between episodes of Coronation Street. A similar, but greatly inferior TV ad from Cumbria Tourism followed ours. The CT ad was only 10 seconds long and used still photography and didn’t really hit the mark. I think it’s fair to say that if it wasn’t for our campaign there would have been a general feeling that TV advertising just isn’t viable. The underdog can often win, which is why I’m such a keen supporter of the LHA. And, at the successful, if low-key AGM, I was proud to be re-elected its Chairman.
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Bob McGie Lunch- Kendal College
At lunch today I bought ten ducks which will take part in the annual duck race in Kendal later this year (watch this space) to raise money for the Bob McGie award. This is testimony to the vast amount of alcohol we were given (Champagne to begin with and then a different wine with each course) with our lunch, which was prepared and served by the students of Kendal College. It is one of the best hospitality events of the year. The money raised by the ducks, the lunch and other events sponsors students from the college on trips abroad to widen their horizons and give them the chance to learn about food in another country. This year, trips are being sponsored to Portugal, Dubai and New Zealand. Tony Jackson from Lakeland Vintners, who has supplied the wine to my hotels for nearly 20 years, which in itself shows what a great guy he is, generously donated the wine.
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Holbeck Ghyll
The three iconic hotels in the Lake District in the last twenty years have been Sharrow Bay, Miller Howe and Holbeck Ghyll. David and Patricia Nicholson of Holbeck Ghhyll never quite became as well known as John Tovey of Miller Howe or Francis Coulson and Brian Sack of Sharrow Bay but in the end they have done something their rivals never achieved- they have sold up for a magnificent price. How magnificent I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say in a public forum like this, but suffice it to say that no hotel in the Lakes has ever achieved half as much per room as they did. Their success was well deserved. David Nicholson was always immaculately turned out, but those who thought him rather snooty were well off the mark. I remember being taken aback when I was having lunch there one day seeing him appear in a pinny and he apologised for not being in the restaurant as he had to do the rooms because they were a chambermaid down. My other abiding memory is of the occasion, during a wine tasting in the hotel lounge, of seeing a young waiter enter the room with a full tray of glasses of champagne, trip over the rug and propel about 20 full glasses all over the assembled guests. The ever professional David was able to restore normality with two minutes.
Today I’ve enjoyed my first lunch at Holbeck Gyll since the new owners took over. They have inherited David’s chef, David McLaughlin. I’m relieved to say that the standards of food and service were as excellent as always. This video shows some of the dishes we had today.
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Best of Lakeland Show
How Gail got away with putting live pigs next door to the Cumberland sausage stand I’ll never know. But it was fun watching people tasting the free samples of sausage under the pleading eyes of the little pigs. The Food Marquee of the Lakes Hospitality Association “Best of Lakeland” Show also contained a pen of llamas, who formed part of the appreciative audience for a cooking display by the Malmaison Hotel Head Chef.
Gail and I gave several interviews in the morning for Radio, TV and the local newspapers in our capacities as Secretary and Chairman of the Association. We were later taken to task by someone who objected to us referring to Windermere as ‘Lake Windermere’. The argument is that ‘mere’ means lake, so it is tautologous to use the word lake when referring to Windermere. My reply is that I’d go for clarity over pedantry any day.
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
A Gunman at the Riverside Hotel
Mrs Edith Robinson, on a visit from London, was enjoying the afternoon sunshine on the balcony at the Riverside Hotel, watching the river go by. As a southerner, where everyone is buttoned up, she longed to try the open friendly, Northern approach to life and, summoning up her courage, got chatting to the young man at the adjoining table. “Have you any plans for today?” she asked, “Yes”, came the reply, “I’m going to kill someone”. Edith didn’t know quite how to take this and looked quizzical. The man, as if to prove the point removed a gun from under his jacket and said ” I’m just waiting for my friend to arrive”. Edith wasn’t quite sure if this was the way small talk normally went went in Kendal, so she quickly finished her drink and went to consult Helen, the hotel Manageress, who was at the bar. Helen had in any case been keeping an eye on the man as he had been in the previous day, when £180 in tips had gone missing and she strongly suspected he was the culprit. She jumped at the chance to call the police.
Now we all know that the police are up to their elbows in paperwork and will normally take 48 hours tom respond to any normal call for help- such as a burglary. Not so here.Within minutes the streets around the Riverside Hotel were sealed off. The police asked Helen to keep an open telephone line and to inform them of the gunman’s movements. A couple who were drinking in the bar moved towards the balcony and Helen stopped them. Then the gunman came back into the bar and asked Helen for another drink. He asked her why she had stopped the couple from coming onto the balcony and she replied, quick as a flash, “Oh, they wanted food and we don’t serve it outside at this time of year”. The hotel was quietly evacuated. The gunman’s friend arrived. Helen served him a drink. He asked why there were so many police around and why the streets around the hotel were closed. Helen replied “There must have been an accident. If you find out, will you let me know?”
A few minutes later 28 armed police had surrounded the building. The gunman and his friend were on the balcony alone. The gunman was challenged. He pulled out his gun at which point the police shot him with a Tazer and he fell to the ground. Both men were removed.
The police were admirable, but the real hero of the day was Helen who showed great courage in remaining cool, calm and collected when face to face with an armed criminal.