CHAMBER NEWS
Hotel industry extraordinaire wins top award
OTHER ENTERPRISING WOMEN AWARDS WINNERS WERE:
Social Commitment Award Zinthiya Trust, Leicester
Female Apprentice of the Year Kirsty White of Penny Price Aromatherapy, of Hinckley
Female Employee of the Year Tracey Hallam of Hope Against Cancer, Leicester
Female Entrepreneur of the Year Cassandra Davison of Lightning Route and Queen Victoria Arts Club, both in Leicester
Team of the Year Primary Live, of Market Harborough
Small Business of the Year The Adventure Service, of Mansfield Woodhouse.
Emma Brealey was a worthy winner at the Enterprising Women Awards
An hotelier extraordinaire has been named Business Woman of the Year at this year’s Enterprising Women Awards. Emma Brealey brought the
Petwood Hotel, at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, back from the brink of bankruptcy to create a successful modern business. When Emma joined the hotel as
a director in April 2010 it was failing to make a profit on £2.5m sales and its wage bill consumed 49% of turnover when the ‘recommended level’ was 32%. The business was also not
exploiting its military heritage but today is proud to boast that it was requisitioned by the RAF in 1942 as an officers’ mess and was home to 617 Squadron – better known as the Dambusters – and others. “Guests enthuse about the
historic atmosphere and ‘walking in the footsteps of heroes’,” Emma said in her awards submission. Built as a private home for a wealthy Edwardian baroness, the
Petwood was converted to a hotel in 1933. It is a Grade II listed building, now a 3*, independently- owned hotel that was rescued from group proprietorship by the current family owners in 1996. It offers 53 bedrooms, AA
Rosette dining, five function rooms and 30 acres of beautiful grounds, catering for leisure breaks, golf breaks, weddings, conferences, parties and the casual food and beverage trades. Business predominantly comes
from domestic tourism, but favourable exchange rates for international guests has led to recent growth from the American, Canadian and Australian markets. As a first step on the road to
recovery, Emma persuaded the owners to step back from running the business and allow managers to take control. Eight years’ on and all members of the management team are involved in the budget process and have their own lines of responsibility.
The wage bill is down to 32.6%
of sales and the historic gardens, once a run-down and neglected cost to the business, have been restored to their Edwardian splendour and are now a revenue- generating tourist attraction. Emma’s submission said: “From
the outset I have worked closely with local stakeholders, business groups and local committees, gaining an understanding of the
Petwood’s role within the wider community as an employer, tourism partner, accommodation provider and champion of Lincolnshire tourism generally. “I chair the Visit Lincoln
Partnership meetings, which engage Lincoln-based tourism businesses in the activity of the city’s Destination Management Organisation. I serve as Chair of
Contd overleaf... business network April 2019 41
The winners were chosen from a shortlist of 35 finalists.
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 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
