HOTELS


Productivity is all about working smarter, not harder


PETER DUCKER is chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality


Lanesborough Hotel completes major refurb


Rea rdonSmith has returned the Lanesborough hotel in London to its former glory following a complete renovation. Acting as lead design


his priority for the current parliament. At a national level, we work longer hours


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than Germany and France but produce less per worker than they do. Furthermore, based on output per worker, a new People 1st report reveals our hospitality and tourism sector contributes 53 per cent less than retail and 58 cent less than manufacturing. However, such comparisons are unhelp-


ful. Tere are valid reasons why productivity is lower in hospitality. Most people want to eat dinner between 7pm and 8.30pm, for example, leaving emptier restaurants and quieter kitchens during the shoulder periods. For safety and security reasons, hotels must employ staff during the night who need to be awake and alert. Measuring labour productivity in the


tourism and hospitality industry is not difficult. It is simply the amount of sales revenue produced for every £1 spent on labour. However, research highlighted in Hospitality Digest 2014, an Institute of Hospitality publication, found some big dif- ferences. Te average for labour productivity across all hospitality businesses was £3.24 in sales for each £1 spent on labour, yet the more successful, and productive, businesses were generating £18.44 – six times as much. So what is it that more successful and


highly productive businesses do and what can other employers learn from them? In short, they have better staff retention levels because they invest in training and devel- opment and provide clear career pathways. Tey underpin this with a caring culture


that recognises the need for work/life balance, thus generating loyalty and discre- tionary effort from employees at all levels. But simply boosting the supply of skills


alone will not necessarily improve pro- ductivity. Tis needs to be accompanied by investment in innovation, re-thinking ways in which services are designed, staff are rostered, technology is utilised and skills are deployed. Driving productivity is about working smarter, not harder.


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roductivity is back on the agenda. Chancellor George Osborne recently pledged that tackling Britain’s poor productivity is now


consultant and architect, ReardonSmith partnered with the Alberto Pinto agency and several spe- cialist craſt companies to rejuvenate the hotel near Hyde Park Corner. The aim of the works


was to re-establish the Georgian property, which was converted into a hotel more than 20 years ago, as London’s finest hotel. As part of the project, ReardonSmith negotiated the planning and listed building consents, prepared the works plan, and co-ordinated issues relating to the interior design in line with Alberto Pinto’s vision. Te company is also taking care of operations and the new service infrastructure. In the public areas, ceilings were replaced


with embellished fibrous plaster, existing stone and marble was revived, the dark mahogany


Apsleys restaurant inside the hotel has also been given a Georgian refit


was stripped back to reveal a lighter grain and layers of classical decoration were introduced. Two original staircases have also been restored. Apsleys restaurant inside the hotel has also


been refitted to reflect the Georgian-inspired design brief, with new hand-modelled frieze panels to match the fibrous plaster ceilings. At the restaurant entrance, bespoke wine


stores have been created to store the hotel’s large collection. Details: http://lei.sr?a=d7b8P_O


£500m Peninsula hotel unveiled


Hopkins Architects have designed a new £500m five- star hotel in Belgravia, central London, which is expected to to open in 2021 if planning permission is granted. Te plans for the Peninsula


London – which would be the first UK property for the luxury Asian hotel brand Peninsula – feature a lavish 190-bedroom hotel, with some of the rooms overlooking the gardens of Buckingham Palace. Te hotel would also feature an on-site spa, bars and restaurants. The designs from Hopkins envision the


Te new hotel would replace the existing 1960s offices at the site


creation of a “new focal point and vibrancy to Hyde Park Corner,” with a grand pedes- trian entrance on Grosvenor Place that will be accessed from a colonnade linking to an internal ‘Palazzo-style’ courtyard. The proposal also comprises BDP designs for an improved public realm in Grosvenor Place, Halkin Street and Grosvenor Crescent, with easier road crossings, wider footpaths and new trees planted along Grosvenor Crescent. Plans have been submitted to Westminster City Council for the new hotel, which would


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital


replace the existing 1960s offices at the site. Property investor Grosvenor and Peninsula owner Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels are joint venture partners on the project, with hopes of starting construction by Q2/Q3 2017. “Tis is an exciting opportunity to shape a


very special corner of London,” said Grosvenor CEO Peter Vernon. “Tis high-quality develop- ment is sensitive to its surroundings, sustainable and will support around 2,800 jobs in the wider economy. It will enhance the West End’s repu- tation as one of the world’s foremost places to visit and a driving force for the UK economy.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=h2x3A_O


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2015


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