April 2008

Published on

April 15, 2008

admin

Congratulations

…To all of us at Beales Hotels on the fantastic news that we won the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2008 regional award for London and the south east. The judges commented on the things that impressed them the most about our entry:

… The sheer passion and excitement for the business conveyed by the nomination, which has seen the business through 230 years of family ownership across eight generations

… The strong and open communication mechanism established to manage and inform the increasing number of family shareholders. This includes an annual family forum, regular informal shareholder lunches and a monthly newsletter (this one!) which keeps the family abreast of developments in the business

…The separation of “family” and “business” evidenced by the active use of independent non-executive directors and the encouragement for family to work outside the business before entering

…Their ability to reinvent their brand through a programme of heavy investment and divestment, whilst maintaining their profit margins and financial position.

…The family’s substantial contribution to charitable and community causes which includes donating 16% of the annual dividends to the Beale charitable trust and supporting art based initiatives in the local community. The national final of the Coutts award is in June.

…To Wayne Turner (Executive Chef) [pic right] for sourcing new local producers to add to our growing and impressive list, including a commitment by the company to only purchase free range eggs in future. We have set up a contract for eggs from Hill View Farm in Royston. We will also be buying some of our milk from local farmer Wendy Turner in Barnet, local cereals from Jordan’s of Biggleswade, lamb from Fairstead in Essex, and local cider from Boxmoor in Herts.

Estates news

…The next bedroom to be refurbished at WLP is now open! Room 12 is a lovely Executive double bedroom complete with entirely refurbished bathroom with walk in shower, walk in wardrobe, deluxe Hypnos pocket sprung bed and flat screen TV. (see pics right).

… Also at WLP are new curtains for the John Evelyn Room and smart new brass
plaques detailing the history behind the name of each banqueting room.

… At BH, the deadline for the final decision on the top floor at the hotel approaches but the provisional date for the
installation of the 19 bedrooms and gym has been put back from July to the last week in October. This is a complex but incredibly exciting scheme that will enhance the hotel no end with stunning new bedrooms and a delightful gym and spa area as a bonus.

Sales and Marketing news

…We have decided to join forces with Best Loved Hotels for WLP – not for the first time. However since we were last members in the late 1990’s, they have become a quite dynamic consortium in the upper end of the hotel market, with their particular strengths in leisure internet marketing.

…Meanwhile at BH we have joined forces with Hotelshop.com – a more flexible version of Superbreaks to encourage some weekend business to the hotel – it will be interesting to compare the performance of these two new partners.

Christmas 08 at both BH and WLP

is now live on the website with printed copies expected in house soon. The enquiries for Christmas come earlier every year!
Beales Caterers is now live on www.bealescaterers.co.uk and also directly accessible from www.bealeshotels.co.uk with numerous informative pages, and detailed menus from Wayne Turner