hotels


It’s not what you know, but...


philippe rossiter is chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality


New pod hotel for Birmingham pETE hayman


Bloc Hotels has launched its new hotel concept with a 73-bedroom property in the centre of Birmingham. Bryant Priest Newman


W


hen confronted by fre- quent headlines depicting the grim fact that unem- ployment seems to be


rising inexorably – to in excess of 2.6 mil- lion according to the British Chambers of Commerce – one could be forgiven for believing that opportunities are virtu- ally non-existent. Te irony is that, at the same time, there are an estimated 1.5 mil- lion vacancies in the country! Even the least numerate person can see that these figures do not seem to match. Yet, managing the job market is not that simple. A lack of skills, especially in supervisory


and management roles, remains a problem for many employers, and this is an area felt keenly by many businesses in the hospitality industry. Indeed, most predictions arising from People 1st, the sector skills council, continue to highlight the lack of man- agement and leadership skills as a critical weakness in the industry. Against the back- drop of rising unemployment, this produces another irony in that many who now find themselves out of work from other sectors possess these skills, which could be deployed to good use in the hospitality industry. A recent article in London’s Evening


Standard commented that only a third of vacancies are ever advertised at Job Centres, so it is hardly surprising that finding the right kind of work can be difficult. Tis was reinforced in a report on job-seeking prac- tices from the Department of Work and Pensions, which revealed how important networking is for those looking for work. With the increased impact of social


media, networking has become far easier. While many industry organisations, like the Institute of Hospitality, possess vibrant net- works, they can be perceived as difficult to access from the ‘outside’. Te more sophisti- cated social networks which now exist have, however, changed this landscape, allowing people to connect with each other across sectors, creating opportunities through ‘hearing from someone who works there’. Life evolves, but some things seem to


remain immutable, for there is little doubt that, to get on in life, it is oſten a case of not ‘what you know’, but ‘who you know’!


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worked on the design of the four-storey Jewellery Quarter hotel, which is inspired by Japanese pod-style proper- ties and aims to withdraw “all unnecessary space”. Boxbuild has worked in


association with the hotel operator in order to produce the pod-style rooms, which feature sound insulation and noise reduction materials. Bloc Hotels is privately-funded by Monaco-


based investors. Marketing and operations director Olivier Delaunoy, says: “Our whole approach to the Bloc concept is focused on simplicity, yet with quality at its heart. Our research shows that guests don’t want space


Bloc Hotels has opened a 73-room property in the heart of Birmingham


consuming, unnecessary extras in their rooms – they want high levels of comfort and pre- mium quality finishes at a reasonable price. “We’re aiming to lead the way with the


ultimate hotel experience and we want to com- pletely change the way that people think about staying in the heart of European cities.”


Cadogan Estate secures £15.4m hotel purchase pETE hayman


London’s Cadogan Hotel has been returned to the Cadogan Estate aſter being bought from Trinity Hotel Investors for £15.4m. Te 65-room Sloane Street hotel was once the home of actress Lillie Langtry and boasts a


restaurant bearing her name. Te property also offers meeting and private dining rooms. Hugh Seaborn, chief executive of the


Cadogan Estate, said: “In due course, [the hotel] will be upgraded so as to better reflect the elegance of Sloane Street.”


Travelodge plans major London expansion Tom waLkEr


No frills hotel operator Travelodge is to invest a fur- ther £60m in expanding its portfolio in London. Te company launched its


latest property today in late March – a 99-bedroom hotel in Ealing, West London. Te opening is part of the


company’s strategy of having 50 hotels and 7,000 rooms in London by the start of the 2012 Olympic Games. Travelodge currently has 466 hotels and 32,477 rooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain. Travelodge chief executive


Te budget hotel group is planning a major expansion into the capital


Guy Parsons said: “Nothing better demon- strates the evolution of Travelodge from our road side origins than becoming the biggest hotel brand in London.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital “Te five-star and boutique hotels have a


role to play but a strong budget hotel market ensures we can welcome the world with high quality low priced accommodation.”


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2011


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