Hotel Scotland 031 2020

HOTELSCOTLAND ISSUE 31 2020 ISSN 2515-8287

TARA O’NEILL THE NEW BOSS AT MACDONALD HOTELS

INTERVIEW

ALAN CAWLEY CAWLEY HOTEL GROUP

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CONTENTS

4 NEWS 9 MAKING YOUR

BUSINESS MORE PLANET FRIENDLY

9

13 SPEND MANAGEMENT: ALASTAIR ROY

LOUISE PALMER-MASTERTON THE OLD MANSE

I

WELCOME

am really glad to get to the end of this year.

I am sure you all are too.

This issue Jason Caddy has interviewed Alan Cawley of Cawley Hotels, despite everything he remains positive about the future. Read what he has to say on page 14.

You may also be thinking about changes you may make to your business next year and Louise Palmer-Masterton has some advice on how you can make your business more planet friendly,. Meanwhile Alastair Roy gives you his take on Spend Management.

The good days hopefully will be back and by this time next year we will all be recovering from the HIT Xmas Party - to remind you of the good times we have some pictures of last year’s event.

I hope you all manage to get some revenue banked this Christmas. Here’s to 2021... it can only get better.

14 INTERVIEW:

ALAN CAWLEY

21 DESIGN:

CAMERON HOUSE

22 HIT XMAS PARTY:

14 16

SOME GREAT MEMORIES

26 CHECKOUT

ALAN CAWLEY NO 25

Susan Young Editor

22

HIT XMAS 2019

HOTELSCOTLAND Published by Media World Limited t: 0141 221 6965 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

susan@mediaworldltd.com @hotel_scotland hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

16 Editor: Susan Young Editorial: Jason Caddy Advertising: Julia Smith, Nikki Oji Production: Fiona Gauld

Upper floor Finnieston House 1 Stables Yard 1103 Argyle Street Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8ND

Subscriptions: HOTEL SCOTLAND is available by subscription at the rate of £52 per annum. The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2020. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 3

NEWS

DUNNOTTAR CASTLE OWNERS REFUTE CLAIMS IT IS PART OF PARADORES PLAN A SNP plan to create high-end holiday accommodation in historic settings, along the lines of the Paradores Nacionales in Spain, which is a collection of 95-historic state-run properties, was discussed at the recent party conference. The Scottish ‘Paradores plan’ is part of a wider £12 billion strategy to boost the rural economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, ahead of the conference there were press reports that Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire was being mooted as a possible candidate, but the owners promptly issued a statement putting their position straight, “Contrary to some recent media reports there are no plans to convert the Castle into a high-end hotel in the style of Spain’s paradores. As I am sure you will agree, its status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, not to mention the substantial conversion costs, might prove to be stumbling blocks.

“Whilst any proposals that are designed to increase inward investment are to be applauded, the majesty and history of the existing managed ruins at Dunnottar already draw large numbers to the North East with the Castle welcoming more than 140,000 visitors last year.

“We remain fully committed to continuing the Castle’s operation as a key visitor attraction, one that’s enjoyed by many local people as well as tourists from around the world.”

IF YOU HAVE ANY NEWS LET US KNOW. EMAIL US AT: NEWS@MEDIAWORLDLTD.COM 4 • HOTELSCOTLAND

COVER STORY

NEW BOSS AT MACDONALD HOTELS

M

acdonald Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Tara O’Neill as Chief Executive Officer earlier this month. She assumes responsibility for the group’s 30 luxury hotels and five holiday resorts in Britain, as well as four resorts in Spain.

A qualified chartered accountant, Mrs O’Neill worked in professional practice in both Ireland and the UK with Arthur Andersen and KPMG before moving into the hospitality sector, with senior roles at Luminar Leisure PLC and the Jamie Oliver Group.

She joins following the retirement of Group Managing Director Gordon Fraser. He revealed his plan to retire at the sart of the year, however remained in position to guide the business through the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and to secure an additional Covid-19 finance facility with Lloyd’s Banking Group. Mr Fraser will work alongside Mrs O’Neill for several months to ensure a smooth handover, whilst retaining his board position as Group Deputy Chairman.

Company founder Donald Macdonald said, “This is a pivotal appointment at an extremely important time for the group. I am very confident that, in Tara, we have recruited someone who can provide the necessary leadership and ambition to help us build upon the very solid foundations which Gordon has helped to create over many years.

“During the recruitment process, Tara impressed everyone involved with her vision for the group, and her track record gives us real confidence that the business will continue to

prosper and grow, despite the obvious current challenges which Covid-19 has brought to our industry.”

Tara comments, “The enormous impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality sector underlines the challenges which face us in the months and years ahead, but I believe the Macdonald portfolio of assets represents a unique and exciting opportunity to capitalise on the changing face of the hospitality sector and the evolving needs of our customers.

“I look forward to working with the wider board in securing the long-term stability of the business to ensure that we strengthen our position as one of the country’s leading hospitality groups. A key element of that strategy will be to provide a platform that will enable the many talented people working within the business as well as our suppliers and other partners to satisfy their own ambitions and thrive.”

Mr Macdonald added“This is a very significant moment for our business, not only because we have appointed Tara to lead the business in the years ahead, but as it also marks the end of a hugely successful era under Gordon’s leadership.

“He has been one of the most influential figures in our company for almost three decades and his integrity, drive and judgement have been absolutely central to the achievements of the entire group. I have been fortunate to have him at my side for so many years, and even more fortunate to have his ongoing friendship.

“I am very pleased that Tara will have access to Gordon in the months ahead to facilitate a smooth exchange of knowledge about the business and that Gordon will thereafter assume a formal role as Non-Executive Deputy Chairman.”

NEWS

GLENEAGLES OWNER PARTNERS WITH ACCOR IN ARRANGEMENT WHICH SEES ACCOR BECOME MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER IN ENNISMORE French hospitality group Accor has entered into a new partnership with Ennismore, the parent company of Gleneagles Hotel and The Hoxton hotel chain. It plans to create, “the world’s leading lifestyle operator in the hospitality sector.”

The all-share merger, which has Accor as the majority shareholder and Ennismore’s founder and CEO Sharan Pasricha as a “substantial minority position” brings together Ennismore’s The Hoxton, Gleneagles in Perthshire with Accor’s Delano, SLS, Mondrian, SO/, Hyde, Mama Shelter, 25h, 21c Museum Hotels, Tribe and Jo&Joe brands.

Gaurav Bhushan, CEO of Accor Lifestyle division is joining Pasricha as co-CEO of the new company which will be called Ennismore.

Commenting on the deal Accor chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin said, “Lifestyle, entertainment, places with a soul have been at the heart of our development and growth strategy over the last years. Partnering with Ennismore’s founder Sharan and his great teams will take our lifestyle ambition to a new

and exciting level.”

The Accor-Ennismore deal is expected to close by early 2021 after the employee consultation processes and customary regulatory authorizations take place. Once completed the combined entity will comprise 12 brands with 73 hotels in operation with a committed pipeline of more than 110 hotels and another c. 70 hotels under active discussion, and over 150 destination restaurant and bars. Based on the current network and pipeline the lifestyle platform should achieve an EBITDA of over c. €100m by midterm, the project resulting in significant cost synergies of approximately €15m per year.

Sharan Pasricha, Founder & CEO of Ennismore said, “Over the last nine years, our mission with Ennismore has always been creating hospitality brands that inspire discovery. I’m passionate about how brands make you feel, from the personalised digital experience to the design, and with an incredible team of operators and creatives around me, we have expanded The Hoxton across the globe; reimagined Gleneagles; and

crafted unique restaurant and bar concepts.

“This exciting autonomous entity with Accor - one with culture and brand purpose at its heart - allows us to come together to build on our combined portfolio of unique lifestyle brands, accelerate our growth and explore new markets. I look forward to working with Gaurav and Sébastien on this exciting next chapter as we become an unrivalled player in the hospitality industry.”

Gaurav Bhushan, said, “Joining forces with Sharan and Ennismore’s talented teams will be a major step in Accor’s development strategy.

With this combination, we are putting together an unrivalled portfolio of unique brands that appeals to owners, partners and guests, supported by the greatest set of talents in the industry, state of the art distribution and tools and a common ambition to continue to grow and innovate.”

In order to form the new company Accor also announced it will take full ownership of sbe Group whose hotel brands include the Delano, Mondrian, SLS and Hyde.

AWARDS FOR SCOTLAND’S HOTELIERS AT VIRTUAL SP&B AWARDS The 2020 Scottish Bar & Pub awards blazed a trail by going virtual for the first time in 25 years at the end of last month and in what could be a world -first hundreds of industry operators, staff, and for the first time members of the public tuned in live from all over Scotland to gather on a virtual red carpet, before taking their at seats virtual tables to watch the ceremony, rounding off the evening with entertainment in several other rooms.

Brendan Crozier

Jonathan Gilbanks

Host showbiz journalist Beverley Lyons presented a total of 20 awards with unsuspecting recipients surprised by a knock at the door and a socially distanced congratulations from one of the awards team.

Representing Scotland’s hoteliers were Stephen Montgomery of the Townhouse Hotel in Lockerbie who picked up the Champion of the Licensed trade gong, while Brendan Crozier of the Georgian Hotel in Coatbridge won the Covid Pivot Award, The McKenzie family who run the Cathedral House Hotel won the Family Endeavour Award with Jonathan Gilbanks picking up the award for Best Restaurant for his Cairn Lodge Garden Room.

Stephen Montgomery

Laura McKenzie

Broughty Ferry’s Fort Hotel owner John Black is now the holder of the Kopparberg Best and Most Improved Outside Area accolade. and the Wm Grant & Sons Local Licensed Trade Hero, was awarded to Stuart McPhee of Siberia Bar & Hotel in Aberdeen, and Marion MacKinnon and Flora Grant of Ardsheil Hotel in Campbeltown were named the 2020 Deanston Whisky Gurus of the Year.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 5

NEWS

ICECREAM MASH UP AT CRIEFF HYDRO Two of Scotland’s most iconic family brands - Crieff Hydro Hotel and Mackie’s have teamed up to bring a Christmas experience like no other to the Perthshire Hotel this festive season. The duo of businesses are serving up Turkey and cranberry ice cream which will allow visitors to the Hotel’s Glen’s Adventure Park to have their favourite dinner all in one scoop. The hotel’s vintage bus bar will also serve winter warmers including an exclusive Mackie’s Hot Chocolate made from its newest chocolate bar – orange.

The cinder path will be transformed into a Gruffalo Trail, and an interactive treasure hunt will take place too. Solve all the clues and you will end up at Glen’s Adventure Park.

Richard Leckie, 6th generation of the Leckie family who own Crieff Hydro Hotel, is Manager of Adventure Glen, he said, “Turkey and cranberry ice cream is something I have certainly never tried before and I am sure it will capture the imagination of our visitors this Christmas. It’s a great opportunity to bring something new to our festive season and who knows turkey ice cream could become an annual festive tradition.

Karin Mackie, Marketing Director with Mackie’s of Scotland and one of three sibling owners, said, “This is a lovely opportunity to bring some much-needed Christmas cheer, combining some of life’s great simple pleasures, chocolate, ice cream and a walk in a beautiful setting.

“While the turkey and cranberry ice cream is unlikely to be hitting freezer aisles any time soon, we’d love to know what visitors think!”

DM Hall is marketing a Grade A listed building in Glasgow’s Virginia Street with planning permission to develop an 18 room boutique hotel at the heart of the Merchant City.

The freehold interest of the circa 8,500 square foot property, which dates back as far as 1760 is for sale at offers over £1.33m.

The accommodation, arranged over five floors including basement, ground and three upper floors benefits from an attractive courtyard to the rear. Its current ownership have consistently maintained and upgraded the building since the early 1990s.

Full planning permission has been granted for bar and restaurant uses for the ground and basement as well as for 18 boutique style hotel rooms to be developed on the upper floors.

NATIVE TAKES OVER AT KINTORE HOUSE

UK aparthotel brand Native has taken over the management of Edinburgh’s Kintore House on Queen Street. It opened recently and has 82 apartments comprising studios, one-bedrooms, and ground floor leisure and coworking space. Native will showcase its community-inspired ‘neighbourhood heroes’ and will partner with independent local businesses Native CEO and founder Guy Nixon said, “After opening in Glasgow in 2018, it was a natural step to head to the wonderful city of Edinburgh, building on our commitment to bring the Native concept to wider regions of the UK. We are excited to be operating in Scotland’s two greatest cities.

“Even with the challenges of this year’s global Coronavirus pandemic, leisure demand for aparthotels has been buoyant in the months coming out of lockdown and we’re well placed to capture post-COVID demand.”

6 • HOTELSCOTLAND

INVERNESS PROVES TO BE A HOT SPOT Inverness has emerged as Scotland’s top destination for people looking to get away safely- and legally - from Coronavirus constraints.

Amidst gloom and many high profile hospitality closures, the pull of the Highlands has remained steadfast, with Inverness bucking nationwide hotel occupancy trends last month.

The latest STR hotel trends insights showed Inverness enjoying room occupancy levels of 70.7%, while Glasgow plummeted to 26.9% and Edinburgh’s 3 Star market dropped to only 30%.

The impact of moving to tiered restrictions has been a hammer blow to urban hotels in the Central Belt but Inverness has been one of the areas least affected by the virus.

Highland remains in Tier 1 and, despite many hotels in the Inverness having to trim and furlough staff in response to the earlier national lockdown, booking levels are creating optimism for Winter and Spring 2021.

The October STR figures build on VisitScotland’s own consumer research and marketing data from summer and Autumn.

Of those planning a winter trip between November and March 2021, the Highlands remains the number one choice of those living within Scotland and the wider UK, with Edinburgh in second place.

Inverness’ popularity and the relatively low prevalence of Covid-19 has been good for visitors, too, with August average room prices (£77) almost half of what they were in August 2019 (£142).

Emmanuel Moine, chairman ofInverness Hotels Association, believes that - where travel guidance allows - the city will be a safe and attractive option for visitors this Winter and into the first quarter of 2021.

“The hotels in Inverness did a great deal, very early, to make sure visitors felt safe and able to enjoy everything the city and the highlands has to offer,” he said.

“Obviously, although the Highlands is a very big area, geographically, the population is relatively small and this has given people confidence to come here.

NEWS

Roach and Salve take over Dundee’s Taypark House Dundee’s Taypark House Hotel, located in the west end of Dundee, has joined the Crieff Hydro family as an associate hotel.

The hotel is the first associated hotel of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels and will now be operated by renowned executive head chef, Glenn Roach and his business partner William Salve.

Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, working in partnership with the new proprieters will primarily support the hotel’s sales and marketing. This marks the first partnership of its kind for the group with more expected to follow.

Glenn Roach – who built has a distringuished career as a chef was formerly head chef of the 3AA rosette Rocca Restaurant at the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews. He is not only executive head chef but General Manager too.

Business partner, William Salve also formerly from the Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews will be leading the front of house team.

Glenn said, “William and I are incredibly excited to be leading the team here at Taypark House Hotel and working alongside Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels as its first associated hotel.

“It was the obvious next step in my career, and I believe we can learn a lot from the team at Crieff Hydro, so we are incredibly excited to see where this journey takes us.

“We have the opportunity to do something extra special to cement its position and reputation here in Dundee.”

AUCHRANNIE GOES INTO HIBERNATION CLOSING UNTIL THE END OF JANUARY Auchrannie Resort has closed and will not re-open until the end of January.

Managing Director Linda Johnston revealed the news at the end of November saying it was impossible to trade viably following the introduction of the tier system.

In a statement she said, “ The hospitality industry has spent vast sums on implementing safe systems to make sure we could open safely following the national lockdown. Arran businesses implemented Covid precautions responsibly and effectively and this was demonstrated during the four months from July 2020 when the island was able to trade effectively and welcomed large numbers of visitors without a single case of Covid-19.

“It is therefore with great sadness and regret that we announce the closure of the Resort until 29 January 2021. The travel and other restrictions in place since the introduction of the tier system on 2 November 2020, ever changing guidelines and uncertain times ahead make it impossible for the business to trade viably at this time.

“With the furlough in place, our team is protected, whilst closing the resort allows us to minimise costs and reduce risk by creating certainty instead of speculation in our cash flow projections. Having said that, we still need to cover very high fixed costs each month we are closed which run into 6 figures (for which we receive very little support) but we

would face a much larger loss if we attempt to continue trading in the current situation.

“We understand the effect that this decision will have on guests, team members, the community, the supply chain and other businesses who rely on tourism over the winter. We are also sorry that we are unable to open our leisure facilities to the community and are acutely aware that this leaves the island with no indoor swimming or gym facility. Sadly, we have no choice, as the cost of opening is not sustainable for the business and we must make sure that Auchrannie emerges from the pandemic in good shape to welcome guests back and continue to support the Island and community as we have for the last 32 years.

“During the closure, a small team will be retained to keep the resort safe and in tip top condition whilst our reservations department will remain available to answer any queries whilst we continue to take bookings on line and by phone for next year.

“With the news of the vaccine, there is now light at the end of the tunnel and we know that with the right support and the chance to trade viably out of the pandemic, Auchrannie and Arran will emerge from this difficult, worrying and stressful period, as a better place to live, work and visit.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their support and understanding throughout the pandemic including our own team members who have been inspirational throughout.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 7

SPIRITS SHOWCASE EDINBURGH GIN STORYBOOK GIFT PACKS A BEDTIME STORY...

One of the issues that hoteliers have, due to government restrictions, is the inability to sell alcohol in their bars and restaurants depending on what tier they are in. But you could be selling some Edinburgh Gin ‘Storybook’ gift packs to your guests.

The five editions of Edinburgh Gin Storybooks are named after and themed around timeless titles including: Journey To The Centre of The Serve Olive or Twist, Paradise Found, The Winter’s Cocktail, and A Tale of Two Flavours.

The gift pack also includes Edinburgh Gin’s range of London Drys, flavoured gin, and gin liqueurs, along with a variety of cocktail accoutrements. Bound in a luxurious casing with art deco cues, the Storybooks certainly have story to tell. One lucky person could find a ‘golden ticket’ in one of the sets completely at random. It can be used to redeem an original, first edition book - from titles such as 1984, The Savoy’s Cocktail Book, and more.

Edinburgh Gin’s Storybooks are available UK-wide from EdinburghGin.com – with an RRP of £35 £65. They include: Olive or Twist - £65 (1 x 70cl Classic, mixing jug, zester, spoon and measure); Journey To The Centre of The Serve - £55 (1 x 70cl Classic with 2 x copa glasses, cocktail recipe booklet); The Winter’s Cocktail - £35 (1 x 50cl Mulled Gin Liqueur, spice pouch and 2 x copa glasses) and A Tale of Two Flavours - £35.

LIMITED RELEASE FROM EDEN MILL

HIGHLAND RYE WHISKY LAUNCHES 1794

Eden Mill has unveiled an exclusive limited edition 800 bottles of its 2020 Release Single Malt Scotch. The 2020 release is the fourth single malt whisky

by Eden Mill in three years, since the unveiling of the first bottling in 2017 from their distillery just outside St Andrews.

Paul Miller, co-founder of Eden Mill said, “This limited release is a real reflection of the team, our passion and Eden Mill’s pioneering spirit which has stayed strong throughout 2020. We can’t wait for people to enjoy a dram of our 2020 Single Malt Scotch safely at home this festive season.

“We anticipate the new year with excitement and hope as we look forward to the relief a vaccine will bring and also the completion of our new carbon neutral single malt distillery in St Andrews.”

8 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Highland Rye whisky, the world’s only Rye Scotch Whisky, has launched its 2020 release as 1794 celebrating the Arbikie Distillery’s heritage back two hundred years on the east coast of Scotland. Following the successful launch of limited editions of Highland Rye in 2018 and 2019, the distillery is now launching its 1794 Highland Rye, its signature five-year-old rye that combines the unique use of rye with charred American oak.

Unlike the previous limited-editions, 1794 was not finished in a further cask, but matured in lively, virgin oak casks creating a whisky with a nose of fresh cloves, nutmeg, Christmas cake spices, creamy butterscotch and a taste of cinnamon and a spicy burst tempered by sweet muscovado sugar and fresh honey.

MAKING YOUR HOSITALITY BUSINESS MORE PLANET FRIENDLY LOUISE PALMER-MASTERTON IS FOUNDER OF MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANTS STEM & GLORY; HIP AND TRENDY BUT ACCESSIBLE PLANTBASED RESTAURANTS, SERVING GOURMET VEGAN FOOD FROM LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS.

A

s his ‘witness statement’, David Attenborough’s new documentary ‘A Life on our Planet’ film contained a plethora of compelling statistics that defined the devastating problems we face if we do not stop destroying our planet.

The film shows the numbers for the rapid increase in global population, the increase in carbon in the atmosphere, and the accompanying sharp decrease in unfarmed natural land and It’s a stark message: By losing the biodiversity of our land, we are fast accelerating towards extinction as our planet struggles with the excess demands placed upon it.

There is a sliver of hope at the end of the documentary, though. Attenborough lays out the steps we need to take to quickly redress the balance and allow the planet to recover.

And they are simpler than you might have imagined.

Stop Waste - Abandon fossil fuel in favour of renewable energy. Everyone knows this, but with pension funds and big business still investing in fossil fuels there is a substantial way to go.

Population control - end poverty and increase access to education for all people, which will naturally lead to population control.This, of course, requires global commitment.

Rewild the rainforests to restore biodiversity.

Rewild more farmland.

Stop eating meat. For every one carnivore in nature there are at least 100 prey animals, so for 11 billion humans to be carnivores is completely unsustainable. It’s an absolute no brainer.

Land use. Using less land in more intelligent ways to produce more food, such as vertical and urban farming.

How can you help in your hotels and kitchens?

At first glance this list may seem beyond the sphere of influence of an individual or an individual business, with international action and financial

incentives needed for this to happen on a global scale.

Whilst it’s true that international action is needed, we can all instigate actions that make a difference.

And many of the actions we can take are changes within our own supply chains which are not disruptive or costly.They simply involve making more ethical choices in our purchasing decisions.

Recently, a Futerra survey showed that 88% of consumers want brands to help them be more sustainable, and many people utilise their purchasing power as a way to make their mark, so it’s also a shrewd business decision to make positive changes within our own businesses.

More Plant-based meals Obviously as a vegan brand we are hoping that the whole world will eventually refrain from eating meat. But even if you are not vegan, the fact that 65% of all the mammals on this planet are farm animals, their devastating carbon impact and land use cannot be overstated.

It’s simply not sustainable for the 11 billion animals on the planet to eat other animals. But what does this mean for a food business that serves meat?

And what if your offering is purely meat based, like a steakhouse? Fortunately/unfortunately it means you need to pivot your business model. Although it might feel like your offering is well supported now, it will become increasingly regarded as unethical in the future.

I am not lecturing here, but don’t count on people wanting to continue eating meat in the future like they do now. So now is the time to explore plantbased options that suit your brand and develop new products that have a lesser carbon impact.

Stem & Glory is working on a pilot project with a new business that does carbon labelling for menu items. It may take a while for this to take on, but we predict this will be in huge demand in the future by consumers.

Vertical Farming I visited Amsterdam in February, in those heady HOTELSCOTLAND • 9

days before Covid-19.There are some superexciting projects there with vertical and urban farms.They are a big exporter of vegetables because of this.They get a greater output from a much smaller footprint in this way. It’s now also breaking into the hospitality sector. I visited a restaurant called Juniper & Kin which is on the top floor of a tall hotel building.They have a green house on their roof and grow a high percentage of their produce there.There are a number of similar operators in the UK and it’s a hugely exciting space to be involved with.

We are in discussion with our landlords about making this happen at our existing and all future sites.

Education Consider donating a small part of your income.

Attenborough states that to achieve the eradication of poverty, education, particularly of women, plays a huge part. Camfed, a charity directly impacting the education of women is one such example of an organisation working towards this aim.

Rewilding Work with the many new ethical suppliers who are themselves making a difference. For example, we work with a tea supplier called Reforest Tea. For one 500g bag of breakfast tea, costing £12, they are able to plant 6-8 trees.

Perform your own sustainability audit (there are also individuals and organisations that can conduct this for you. For example, it’s now widely known that palm oil is one of the main reasons that the rainforest has been destroyed, so eradicating it in your home, business and supply chain is one way of making an impact.

Using Renewable Energy In pursuit of renewable energy, hospitality businesses can make a huge impact by simply moving to renewable only energy sources.

There are a number of these now, including the most established Ecotricity and Green Energy.

But we can go one step further. Who are your investors? What are their green credentials?

Do they invest in fossil fuels? Who are your partners? Who are your landlords? Scrutinise everything. Ask the questions.Take every opportunity you can to bring attention to this.

Waste. Probably the biggest issue of all.

Food Waste More than one third of all food produced is wasted. And with regard to fruit and vegetables, it is almost half. In the developing world this waste is largely down to inefficient processing, poor storage, and insufficient infrastructure.

In medium and high-income countries, whilst supply chains can still be an issue, the behaviour of consumers plays a much greater part. We are simply buying it and not eating it. Much of this food waste could be avoided if it were managed better.The hard fact is, if we managed to reduce the amount of food waste down by just 25%, that would be enough food to feed the 870 million who currently do not have enough to eat.

Packaging Waste There is a huge amount of misinformation out there on this subject, especially with regards to single use. I watched a short film recently, called ‘Our Planet, Our Business’, and one of the experts said, ‘there is no such thing as waste, it’s just a commodity in the wrong place at the wrong time’.

The only truly sustainable, circular solution for packaging is to use products that are made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste, which are then endlessly recycled. So, we are no longer using single use anything.

Compostable is not the answer to the issue of single use, as compostable containers are widely

made from virgin materials, which increase the carbon footprint of the product, and do nothing to solve the issue of mass disposability.

When the world is truly plastic-free, then it may be that recycled packaging which is also compostable could play a part. But, whilst we have such huge amounts of post-consumer plastic waste, the most responsible thing we can do is recycle it. If demand for 100% recycled plastic were greater, demand would also increase for manufacturers to buy postconsumer waste plastic. And so it goes on.

The leap we all need to make is to start viewing plastic (and everything else on this planet) as a valuable commodity.

Other Waste We are currently fitting out a new site in Cambridge.The driver behind our decor is reuse and recycle as far as possible. It’s been great to see that there are so many new products on the market that are composed of recycled post-consumer waste. We predict that this will explode massively in the coming months and years. From table-tops to worktops, paint, flooring, concrete, lights, innovation is everywhere. And it looks completely fab! As part of this process we have also been able to get our entire team on board - from designers to contractors, all are now also committed to the reuse and recycle way of living.

And this is probably the best way we can win hearts and minds to tackling climate change.

Never underestimate the contribution that an individual or individual business can play.

By changing ourselves we generate spirals of positive influence - the R number of sustainability! The more you make changes and tell others, the more people you will influence for good.

For further information contact Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Distribution Limited.

Tel: +44 (0) 333 016 1910 Web: Edrington-BeamSuntoryUK.com

HOTELSCOTLAND • 11

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SPEND MANAGEMENT: ADDRESSING EXTERNAL SPEND

W

THE APPARENTLY ENDLESS LOOP OF LOCKDOWN AND RELEASE SEEMS UNRELENTING, ALTHOUGH EVERYONE CAN PROBABLY AGREE THAT THIS TIME WILL PASS AND GREEN SHOOTS WILL EMERGE…EVENTUALLY.

ith revenues in the doldrums across many businesses at the moment – hopefully not for much longer – spend management is a key topic for obvious reasons.

There are various descriptions of spend management doing the rounds, including my particular favourite, the Spend Control Tower.

This might conjure up visions of a Bondesque character – not necessarily a baddie controlling activities atop a glass box penthouse.

The reality is of course much more practical and is a concept which harnesses the efforts of a core team within a business to manage and control external supplier spend with the purpose of creating a focused approach to scrutinise all spend to determine just how necessary it is at any given moment.

To kick-start the process, give consideration to the spend culture within your organisation.

Create an environment which simultaneously remains true to the overall company culture and cultivates a mindset of ‘thinking like an owner’ when it comes to spending the company’s money. This mindset is a key component in the short term and can evolve to become the baseline for all team members.

For those stakeholders with authority to commit expenditure the continual question in their minds should be ‘if I owned the business what decision would I make?’. I am sure that all responsibly minded team members will have those thoughts front and centre of their decision making at present. However, when the good times roll once again, (they will, right?), just because you have a budget amount in your section of the P&L should not mean spending up to the limit every time.

Having robust processes and procedures contained within a procurement framework endorsed by the owners and senior management team will build a more commercially assertive company in the longer term.

Some ideas to consider right now in terms of conserving or realising cash are: - Cease all discretionary spend and review any requests on a case by case basis

- Consolidate spend only on preferred suppliers and close down long tail supplier accounts - Create an inventory of obsolete stock/FF&E and either sell it on or where possible return to the supplier for a credit - Secure restructured pricing and payment terms from existing suppliers and/or introduce new suppliers to deliver increased value to your company’s bottom line - Review and reduce maintenance expenditure commitments while ensuring safety is maintained - Challenge all purchase orders with a focus on reducing the value or eliminating Another suggestion is to deal with recurring payments - this possibly seems self-evident as most businesses will already have taken care of minimising those costs during the first lockdown. However, if a decision has been taken to temporarily close the business again due to the current tiered restrictions in place, make sure you speak with your suppliers and agree a temporary pause or payment deferral to avoid unnecessary recurring expenses during the closedown period and thereby avoid being strafed by payment demands or worse.

So many business leaders and team members are weary of events beyond their control.

The apparently endless loop of lockdown and release seems unrelenting, although everyone can probably agree that this time will pass and green shoots will emerge…eventually. Everyone will have such a personal perspective on events of 2020 and looking at the positives, businesses will be so much more agile coming through the other side.

In summary, spend management is not a one-off activity but an evolving, integral business process. Transforming the approach to how company funds are spent externally will ultimately help contribute to optimal bottom line performance.

For more information on how to radically address your external spend, contact alastair@aroprocurement.com aroprocurement.com HOTELSCOTLAND • 13

INTERVIEW

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TOUCH A

ALAN CAWLEY THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE CAWLEY HOTEL GROUP SPEAKS TO JASON CADDY ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

14 • HOTELSCOTLAND

lan Cawley is MD of independent family-owned business The Cawley Hotel Group and its flagship Duck Bay Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond, plus restaurant and luxury retail businesses House of Darrach at Gartocharn, Coast at Langbank, Boardwalk, Falkirk, River House, Stirling, and The Loch House in Lochwinnoch with another one in the pipeline.

Alan runs the business with his sister Margo - also involved are her two sons Stuart and David King.

The business began in 1985 and now employs roughly 350 staff and owns all the freeholds, and on the back of the refurbishment of Duck Bay’s restaurant and lochside outdoor area that debuted at the start of this year, there are plans to next year upgrade the existing 23 rooms and suites plus self-catering cottages a stone’s throw from the hotel and add a further nine suites.

I got a very warm welcome from Alan on a cold December day and we chatted in his office adjacent to Duck Bay Hotel and however many times you visit, this spectacular setting never ceases to amaze.

Said Alan, “I took on the role of MD after my father passed away and at that point, we had Duck Bay and The Hungry Monk at Gartocharn, now the House of Darrach. We also took on another hotel, The Kirkhouse Inn out at Strathblane for which we were made a great offer after three years that we decided to take because it would give us financial security for the rest of our lives.”

The hotel business in 2020 and 2021 was our next port of call as well as Alan’s plans for the redevelopment and expansion of Duck Bay’s accommodation offering in 2021.

He told me, “We were gearing up for 2020

to be our best year yet, and to be fair when we’ve been open it’s been good, and Eat Out to Help out was great.

“With the new vaccine, I’d say we could see recovery within nine months but next season will have limited numbers on it, so I think 2021 could be healthier for hospitality but only if the government steps in with more incentives like taking away business rates for another year, keep the VAT reduction in place for another year, or by introducing a discount scheme for hotels similar to Eat Out to Help Out to get things rolling.

“They are going to have to help or they’ll lose businesses from hospitality and we all know how important this industry is to Scotland and the level of employment that it creates. If they don’t step in there will be a lot more casualties than we have already seen.

“We seem to be in a better place than most. We are very fortunate that we are in the Loch Lomond National Park. We would normally see tourists from international markets and that just wasn’t here this year.

“But what helped us in the summer once we reopened was the staycation market. It was huge and we were fully booked. People might have realised what’s on their doorstep and explored their own country and I’d like to think that they’ll support our tourist industry by changing their habits, but I’m not sure.”

The levelling off in business visitors has also affected Duck Bay’s occupancy rates because its footprint stretches beyond the leisure market.

Alan explained, “The business market is also down with people being encouraged to work from home, and fewer people are travelling and the fact that a huge proportion of our business customers come from Faslane.”

What about his plans for improving and

HOTELSCOTLAND • 15

INTERVIEW

“I have seen too many businesses grow too quickly and they lose their rhythm, that personal aspect of the service, so we are doing it in bite-sized chunks and we are in negotiations for another outlet and I would like to think that we could keep adding the odd one.”

ALAN CAWLEY expanding their accommodation offering at Duck Bay? Said Alan, “We need more bedrooms and the hotel is about to get a major overhaul and I think that there’s a huge future for hotels on the Loch Lomond National Park. So the plan is we will develop more bedrooms within the space that we have and this gives us the potential to add on another nine, which is significant. The architects are already putting together the plans and then it will go to planning.”

Alan also took the decision this year to discontinue weddings at Duck Bay for several reasons.

He explained, “We used to do weddings at the hotel, we have done thousands of them but we decided to permanently focus on accommodation rather than functions.

“There’s also Brexit to consider and a lot of uncertainty and where there’s a healthy wedding market there has to be certainty. They’re booked well in advance and pre-planned.

“Cameron House is our neighbour and they have been closed three years on 18th December after the fire. They are reopening with another 90 bedrooms and a magnificent function suite next year and we have a wonderful working relationship with them. They are a great feed for us, for both the restaurant and the hotel.”

Alan is a very organised person and always to modernise the business to ensure it stays in the best possible shape for the future.

He said, “I am a stickler for being organised and it serves me well in business. New staff will often say that it’s all very organised and that there is a form for everything and a place for everything and I think that the staff respond to this type of structure and the sense of security that it gives them. I think that’s how we manage to keep good people, and if you are keen to further your career you will do well with us. Primarily it’s all about the customer experience. That is the one constant in hospitality.”

All of the systems have been upgraded and Alan’s son Darrach has just joined the business fresh from a business degree, bringing with him a sharper IT Focus, but Alan is equally cautious about expanding the business too rapidly. He 16 • HOTELSCOTLAND

prefers a measured approach.

He explained, “I have seen too many businesses grow too quickly and they lose their rhythm, that personal aspect of the service, so we are doing it in bite-sized chunks and we are in negotiations for another outlet and I would like to think that we could keep adding the odd one.

“One of the things that makes it difficult for us to expand at a greater rate is that we have freeholds and this also makes it tougher of course because there are a lot more leaseholds out there than there are freeholds on decent sites.”

Alan’s father Bobby’s legacy still lives on in the business in the form of the Bobby’s licensed café brand at Duck Bay in the space that used to be the retail part of the business. But hospitality wasn’t always the Cawley family concern.

Explained Alan, “We as a family business were in the rag trade. We had seven menswear shops in the West of Scotland and my dad was a great friend of Sir Hugh Fraser and to this day my oldest friend is his daughter. Patricia. So Sir Hugh bought us out because at the time he had parted company from House of Fraser and did his own thing and my dad went in as his MD. “My dad then saw a little bar-bistro that was for sale local to us at Alexandria and we bought that and this was our initiation into the hospitality industry. “ Then we found that Duck Bay was for sale and my dad moved heaven and earth to get it – sold his home, everything. It was a pretty rundown affair. There was no hotel at all. It was a restaurant and a motel I suppose and by the time we got here there was no roof on the building – it had been completely allowed to disintegrate into nothingness.

“And to be fair to Duck Bay, this was a turning point in our lives. It changed our lives dramatically in that it’s successful and always has been. In fact, there will only ever be one Duck Bay – it’s iconic.”

There was so much more that Alan had to say that we, unfortunately, don’t have space for so perhaps we will speak with him again in 2021 once the Duck Bay Hotel expansion is complete and venue number seven is up and running.

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Crerar Hotels appointed new chief executive, Chris Wayne-Wills as part of the group’s multimillion-pound investment strategy. Chris has over 25 years experience in senior management positions, with notable success in the hotel industry. Chris engaged Click2Convert as Crerar’s digital partner to help drive the group through the pandemic, which has evidently been one of the most difficult trading periods that the industry has faced.

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18 • HOTELSCOTLAND

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When approached by Crerar Hotels, Click2Convert followed their strong ethos of delivering results, even in the toughest economic climate for hoteliers. Their combined approach of PPC, SEO and Social Media has delivered outstanding success, demonstrated by strong yearon year uplift across key performance indicators.

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Since the reopening of the hotels in July 2020, the group has seen an uplift in bookings and revenue across all channels within Click2Convert’s remit. The ongoing partnership with the agency will continue to positively impact the position of the hotel group in 2021, and to help drive Crerar Hotels through the climate of a global pandemic.

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FEATURE

NO 26 BY THE SEA CORRAN ESPLANADE, OBAN PA34 5AQ

BY SUSAN YOUNG

CAMERON HOUSE HOTEL REVEALS NEW LUXURY WEDDING OFFERING AHEAD OF 2021 REOPENING

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The smaller Loch Katrine Suite is suitable for intimate gatherings. ameron House Hotel is preparing to open next Spring The Loch Lomond suite with floor to ceiling windows will offer breath-taking views of and it has revealed its new wedding suites, The Loch Fyne Suit and the loch and beyond, and is the largest of Loch Katrine Suite which will be available the three suites. It can accommodate up to to book from May, however its ballroom 450 guests. With the completion of the new which houses The Loch Lomond Suite, in extension, the hotel will boast a total of 208 the Resort’s new extension, will not be bedrooms and suites.

Andy Roger, resort director at Cameron available until 2022.

House, said: “It is with great pride that we are Each wedding suite has been restored, restyled and decorated in soft neutral tones, able to release our new wedding offering for which allows wedding couples the opportunity2021 and beyond. Cameron House is one of Scotland’s most romantic wedding venues, to put their own mark on the occasion. and our magnificent new suites and unrivalled The Loch Fyne Suite, boasts statement chandeliers that cascade romantic lighting into location on the banks of Loch Lomond will the venue, and with access to the surrounding keep our couples and their guests spellbound from the moment they arrive, creating gardens, the space can comfortably accommodate up to 350 guests. memories that will be cherished for ever.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 21

THIS TIME LAST YEAR AT THE HIT XMAS PARTY A GREAT NIGHT WAS HAD BY ALL AT THE HIT CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST YEAR... ROLL ON 2021!

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CHECKOUT I don’t think I have ever been so pleased to see the back of a year as I am to say goodbye to 2020. At least we now have light at the end of the tunnel... I just hope that the tunnel is not too long. The vaccine is now rolling out and here’s hoping that before long we will have an idea of what 2021 will bring.

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I really wish that the Scottish Goverment had people on their advisory committees that actually understand what hospitality is all about in. They don’t seem to consider any of the operational issues that hospitality businesses face. Letting retail and hairdresses open from 6am on the 11th is a prime example... let’s face it hospitality wouldn’t have opened at 6am but when they did open they would have had a days trading.

That is only the tip of the iceberg I know but it certainly illustrates how badly let down our sector has been by the Government. It is not the virus which is causing hospitality businesses angst it is the failure of politicians to get their head around our business and what it means to our local and the national economies.

The French Govenrment has offered businesses 20% of their turnover as a grant... Kate Forbes has just revealed an extra £2K or £3K for hospitality businesses in January to help them with the post-Chrstimas dip in demand. What about the December dip in demand. For ‘dip’ read ‘fall off a cliff’ that is certainly the case for those businesses in Tier 3.

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The grants will be available from next month. Too little and too late for many.

The Scottish Hospitality Group flagged up to the Government recently that the support hospitality businesses had received in Scotland was the worst in the UK and the worst in Europe.

The First Minister countered that by saying that there had been full lockdowns there and that Scotland hadn’t been under such Time to re-think how customers are served severe restrictions. So the Group were not comparing likesafely whilst keeping staff protected. with-like. she is absolutely right we are not comparing like-withTime to re-think how customers are served like - figures show that since March, if you compare Scotland safely whilst keeping staff protected.

Time to re-think how customers are served and England... England has had 27 days extra trading not to www. safely whilst keeping staff protected. mention lesser restrictions - and they are still getting more CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION than we are. We’ve got the right information - and I hear that Time to re-think how customers are served www. it is passed to Government. Will it listen. I am not holding my safely whilst Glasgow Edinburgh Aberdeen keeping staff protected.

0141 1802 01224 216430 breath.

Time299 to 1802 re-think0131 how503 customers are served Time to re-think how customers are served

It will be interesting to see what happens at Gleneagles Hotel when it re-opens in February, by that time the deal with Accor should be finalised. Certainly Accor have a track record of running quality establishments including London’s Savoy. and operate the Fairmount, St Andrews.

As I said at the start I am glad to see 2020 end... there will be tonne of work to do in 2021 ... and to the trade bodies that have been fighting your corner...well done. I hope you all manage to have some sort of celebration over Christmas..

26 • HOTELSCOTLAND

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