HAPPY BIRTHDAY
and systems has developed. It’s like a drawing that has been coloured in, it now has real depth and character.
“A roulette table is just a roulette table, the differentiator is the experience – and the staff are the experience. It could be the 100th pint of beer they’ve served or the 100th roulette game
they’ve spun, but for the customer it’s the first one they’ve had”
walk away for one day and lock the doors. However, I realised I had no idea how to lock the building because we had never actually tried. That was the level of our naivety at the very beginning. Over the years we learned very quickly that Chinese guests didn’t want to be in a separate area, they wanted to be in the thick of the action. It worked better for us putting the baccarat on the ground floor level, it gave us critical mass of energy much earlier on and was more efficient operationally. We learned quickly that people had no idea what British brasserie food with an American twist meant so the restaurant quickly evolved into a steakhouse. The theatre was hard work because we focused predominantly on the bar, restaurant, and gaming, and it took three years to work out what was right for that space. We had some incredible performances there from people like pop legend Prince but they were one-offs; a lot of the run-of-the-mill stuff was a bit average. We wanted something exceptional and trialled a summer residency concept with a show called Blanc de Blanc, so good some of the producers from Vegas came to see it. A couple of years later they were looking for a venue for Magic Mike, and we managed to do a deal with them. When you look at a super tanker like this, it takes direction to get settled in its right course. And now, I find myself shaking a lot of hands
congratulating those staff who have been with us for a full decade – 80 out of the original 400 are still here, which is one of the best compliments a business can be paid. You so rarely stay in the same job for 10 years, but with the Hippodrome it doesn’t feel like the same job because it’s always changing and evolving. When I think back to the early days we’ve simply grown up and evolved too albeit with the same ethics and standards; it still has the same overall skin, but every area of the building, structure
36 JULY 2022
CI: What do you think has been the biggest change for the business, both physically for the building and operationally? ST: The biggest difference is the growing confidence and experience coming together. We’re bolder. When we started out, we didn’t know what we were doing compared to what we do now. We had an idea of what we would’ve liked to happen, but no plan really survives the operational reality of the environment you’re going into. As we learned, gained confidence and got stronger, it was an upward spiral. There have been plenty of times when we have been faced with challenges, but we’ve made a way through them, and once you’ve done that a few times it doesn’t matter what’s thrown at you. The pandemic was a nightmare of a challenge, but after we got over the initial shock, the team accepted we were closed and we started looking for opportunities. Even in the depth of the covid mania. We’ve had a planning application in every year since
we’ve been here. The overall premises comprises two linked Grade 2 listed Victorian buildings. The physical challenges we’ve faced to make changes to the buildings are enormous, with a multitude of engineering puzzles. In terms of the people, it is essential to have the right balance, for both staff and customers.
CI: What is your favourite part of the building? ST: What I love is seeing people with that ‘wow’ look on their face, and I witness it in all parts of the building at different times. I get a real vicarious pleasure from taking people around to look at the building, it really reinforces what we do and the experience we can deliver.
CI: When it comes to gambling, the difference for the customer is about service. The Hippodrome excels in its customer service, is that a conscious effort? ST: Good service and a positive customer experience is fundamental, at the centre of everything we do. We start at recruitment; we only recruit people who smile during the interview. The person we employ is going to be a cup half full person who will find solutions not problems. We then build on that, it’s a very family-style business, we’re not bureaucratic. Every week we have an induction session where me and my top three directors introduce ourselves to people starting in the business, explaining
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