FEATURE: HOTELS, CONFERENCES & EXHIBITIONS


A family passion for hospitality


Percy and Florence Brend first met when they were pupils at the same school in Barnstaple. Both had lost their parents at an


early age, fell in love and married in their teens. In the 1920s, Percy became a butcher’s boy. With entrepreneurial flair and a keen eye for a deal, he soon progressed to his own shop in Butcher’s Row, Barnstaple. When war broke out he joined


the Navy while Florence ran the business and brought up their first three children: June, Richard and Patsy. On Percy’s return, post war rationing meant an increased demand for meat, so he sourced local produce from farms and traded all over the country. Profits were re-invested into a


chain of butchers’ shops and, at a time when so many communities were looking to re-build, property development. Two further sons – John and Peter – followed. The


16 Chamber Profile March/April 2018


family was growing and so, too, was their business empire. Today four generations of the


family are actively involved in running the empire that spans nine luxury hotels in Devon and two in Cornwall. The company, which continues to go from strength to strength, was recently honoured with the hugely prestigious national award of AA Hotel Group of the Year. Ongoing investment is


considered key – in 2015 £1.5m was spent on upgrading facilities at The Devon Hotel in Exeter with 20 additional bedrooms and, in 2017, The Park Hotel in Barnstaple was upgraded to four-star and transformed with state-of-the-art accommodation that includes luxurious new staterooms with the latest in-room technology, sleek contemporary apartments, a new conference room and a new restaurant.


“As a family company, our


philosophy has always been to keep improving our hotels to their full potential,” said Managing Director John Brend. “Moving forward, we are in the


process of creating a new art spa at our prestigious Saunton Sands Hotel which will open later in 2018, plus several other projects across Devon and Cornwall.” Employee retention and training


is cemented by a robust, in-house apprenticeship programme. “Experience has demonstrated


that apprenticeships are an excellent way of developing and enhancing skill levels and, having recently established our own apprenticeship academy, we now offer the very best level 2 and 3 training available in situ – making us a beacon of industry excellence in all senses of the term,” added John. Providing excellent customer


service is also pivotal to the Brend


A family business: (clockwise from top left) Peter Brend Junior, Justin Brend, Matthew Brend, Richard Brend, John Brend and Peter Brend Senior.


Professionalism and attention to detail are key to The Brend Group’s success, according to the hotel group’s Managing Director John Brend


Group ethos and that is as true for corporate guests as it is for those on leisure breaks. In terms of business and conference facilities, Saunton Sands Hotel in Braunton, The Park and The Imperial, both in Barnstaple, The Royal Hotel in Bideford and the Devon Motel in Exeter are all excellent meeting and function venues, with tailor-made packages available to suit every occasion. Director Matthew Brend said: “It’s


very important that our corporate clients are able to focus on the business at hand, without worrying about whether or not refreshments are going to turn up on time. “The Brend Group reputation has


been built on absolute professionalism and attention to detail and that’s what all our guests, whether visiting for leisure or on business, can expect.”


For more visit www.brend-hotels.co.uk


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