IN THE SPOTLIGHT: HOTELS, CONFERENCES & EVENTS


REAPING THE REWARDS OF REFURB


An award-winning hotel has had one of its best years to date following a major refurbishment. Holiday Inn Express Kettering


completed a £500,000 refurbishment of its bedrooms, meeting rooms and open plan reception area at the end of 2018. It won several awards in 2019 and


has seen increases in its occupancy levels and revenue year on year.


Group, conference and sales


coordinator Allen Tew said: “We really took the time to listen to what our customers wanted before we embarked on the refurbishment and, as a result, our new look bedrooms now feature USB ports, blackout curtains, additional lighting, irons and ironing boards. “During the past year we’ve seen our occupancy rates increase and


we’ve seen a rise in the number of customers who want to use our meeting rooms. “We were thrilled to win


Business of the Year at the 2019 Kettering Business Awards and I was delighted to win Hospitality Star of the Year at the 2019 Next Generation Business Awards. We received a lot of publicity from both awards which we’re pleased


to say generated a lot of interest. “We’ve had consistently fantastic


feedback from our guests since our refurbishment and are very pleased with the positive reviews we’ve had on social media and TripAdvisor. We’re now looking at what we can do in 2020 to keep that momentum going.”


Visit: www.exhikettering.co.uk


BEAUTIFUL BUSINESS CENTRE TO EXPAND


GREAT HALL REVELS IN ITS RESTORATION


The Great Hall at Northampton Guildhall has undergone a revamp to brighten it up to visitors. It is one of the town’s most


popular public spaces and is one of the best examples of gothic architecture in the country. With this in mind, Northampton


Borough Council decided last year to carry out repairs to water-damaged areas and to revitalise the décor. Improvements including cleaning


of the painted frieze using conservation techniques and repainting of the lower walls with an improved colour palette have been carried out. The timber floor’s coat upon coat of brown varnish, applied over many years, was also replaced with a clear stain. The Great Hall features stained- glass windows by John Milner Allen


32 inbusiness APRIL/MAY 2020


that were displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum before being installed in the Guildhall. A series of murals depict


prominent people who have influenced Northampton’s history. They were painted by Colin Gill of the Royal College of Art and include Alfred the Great, Simon de Senlis, Edward I with Queen Eleanor, Richard II, Henry VI, Lawrence Washington (mayor of Northampton twice and an ancestor of American president George Washington), Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, Philip Doddridge, William Carey and Spencer Percival. The Great Hall plays host to a


wide variety of events and is available for public viewing and hire by contacting the Guildhall Office team on 01604 838400.


Bragborough Hall Business Centre is expanding this year so it can offer more serviced offices, meeting rooms and training facilities. The independent family


run business (pictured) prides itself on providing a personal service, with the highest standards, in a warm and friendly atmosphere. It is very excited about its


expansion plans and would welcome visitors to view their plans. Manager Libby Parratt said: “This is the perfect venue to impress


your clients, whether you are a virtual client, renting a serviced office, hiring a meeting room or using the grounds for team building events. “Working from here you are surrounded by the picturesque rolling


hills of Northamptonshire’s countryside, on the border with Warwickshire, in the beautiful Bragborough Hall Estate. “At lunchtime you can take advantage of picnic tables in the


grounds, a dedicated country walk, accessible only to clients, or for the more energetic there is a tennis court with shower facilities.” The centre is only a few minutes from Daventry town centre on


Welton Road in the delightful village of Braunston. Junction 16 of the M1 is only 10 minutes away along with Rugby Station which has excellent connections to the north and south. A range of vital amenities, such as banks, petrol stations and supermarkets are also all within a five-minute drive. For further information about the business centre or its development


plans email info@bhbusinesscentre.com or call 01788 892000. Visit: www.bragboroughhallbusinesscentre.com


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