Hotel's winning formula (From Gazette & Herald)

Hotel's winning formula

A CHANCE meeting six months ago has helped to find the winning formula for a North Yorkshire hotel.

When David Frank, administration director at the Crown Spa Hotel on Scarborough's Esplanade, met Business Link York and North Yorkshire business adviser Moira Arnott at a Chamber of Commerce event earlier this year, he had little idea of the journey that lay ahead of him and his business.

Now, with support from Moira and her colleagues, the 86-bedroomed hotel is preparing for exciting times ahead, with a clear path to four-star status mapped out, a vision for future expansion and Investors in People accreditation on the horizon.

David said: "We've always known where we wanted to be as a business, but never really had the time to stop and work out how we were going to get there.

"Over the last six months, Moira helped us take a step back, evaluate things and confirm where we want to be. She has also put us in touch with a range of people - ranging from marketing to IT and personnel consultants - who we're working with to plan how we're going to get there, at a pace we're comfortable with.

"The help we've had from Business Link has been fantastic. It's great to work with people who have a practical approach, and who are on hand to give you the nudge you need to get things done.

"It's been a real journey. We've turned a lot of things on their head, looked at others from a different angle, even thrown some procedures out of the window and started again from scratch.

"A key part of the process has been finding out how staff perceive the business, and where they felt there was room for improvement. Their feedback has been invaluable, and I think we've grown up as a business over the last six months.

"We've now got firm plans in place, a clear idea of where we're going and structures to work within. The staff have all embraced the changes and there's a real buzz about the place.

''It really feels like we're going places and, whilst I'm sure we would have got round to doing it one day, we wouldn't have got here anywhere near as quickly as we have without the push that Business Link has given us."

Moira Arnott, of Business Link, added: "The management team at the hotel are incredibly capable, and the commitment and enthusiasm they have shown over the past months has made for a very productive relationship. Their focus and teamwork make them an absolute pleasure to deal with and I wish them continued success - they certainly deserve it!

''Their success sets a great example to other businesses of just what can be achieved through hard work and determination."

Updated: 12:37 Wednesday, October 19, 2005