There are plans to expand the offering of the Old Course Hotel’s conferencing and meetings facilities


Carter recalls meeting Nelson


Mandela as the most memorable moment of his career


whether greater emphasis will be put on hosting events at the Fife coast venue. “We have pretty tip-top confer-


ence facilities as a whole,” Carter adds. “But, yes, that’s another area we will be looking at in the next couple of years, in terms of adding to that.” Does that mean building work,


will there be an expansion of the hotel’s conference and meeting spaces? “We have room to expand and


that is certainly something we will be looking to develop over the next couple of years,” he says. “I know we have the ability and I know talk of expansion has come up in conversations. I think you would include extending the conference facilities; it’s certainly an area we can put into the frame.”


THE WRAPAROUND activities of the resort and spa will also continue to be used by the sales team to drum up business, with a particu- lar focus on the low season, when corporate events bookings can help bolster occupancy rates. “I think conferences become a natural target for that,” says Carter.


“Because conferences like to associ- ate themselves with other events and what can be better than going for your conference to a golfing destination that is world-renowned where delegates can relax whilst attending their events.” I’m also interested in what kind


of qualities Carter will bring to this most august of institutions, which to younger people might appear slightly stuffy and museum-like. We speak during the week Te Honour- able Company of Edinburgh Golfers


“SOMEBODY ONCE DESCRIBED ME AS A TRADITIONAL HOTELIER THAT HAS ADOPTED ALL THE MODERN WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT HOSPITALITY”


Stephen Carter, general manager, The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews


at Muirfield Golf Course decided it was okay in the 21st century to not admit women as full members of the club. I understand that the Old Course Hotel and the actual Old Course are separate beings, but it’s the approach I’m interested in.


CARTER DOESN’T hesitate in his reply. “In this day and age that is very old-fashioned, very tradition- alist, and life has moved on; and I think ladies should be treated as equals. “We’re in the business of provid-


ing people with fun, relaxation and to be made to feel at home from home,” he adds, with a flourish. “Somebody once described me


as a traditional hotelier that has adopted all the modern ways to accomplish great hospitality, and I think that’s true. I suppose some people can talk about me as being a traditional hotelkeeper but you have to keep up to trend to modern developments, such as connectivity, such as changing dress styles of our guests right through to the whole gambit of correct IT facilities.” You get the sense that fairness,


equality and humanity are not just values Carter espouses, but rather


seeks to live by. Looking back on his long career, the “most outstanding” guest he recalls is Nelson Mandela, who stayed at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh when he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Govern- ment meeting in 1997. “It was one of the most bril-


liant moments of my life, meeting that guy,” he says. “And it was a pleasure to look after him. He was a character who, as soon as he arrived through the front door, went to the back corridors of the hotel to talk to the staff; he had real charisma, which is much over-used word, but if anybody ever possessed it, I remember he possessed it.” When it comes to global sum-


mits, Carter has also helped attract a G20 conference and the Northern Ireland peace talks during a memo- rable career. Does that mean in his two-year tenure ahead that he will be tapping into geo-political events once more? “Well, if it involves the next US


president, whoever that might be, I’m not really sure whether it would be fitting for a rival hotelier. It might be best to leave that one.” I’m not sure who he could be talking about. Anyone?


EVENTSBASE | SUMMER 2016 | 31


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44