Experience

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  The Burnt Chef Project

  • Bangor, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

  • Chief Ambassador (Northern Ireland)

    • Jan 2022 - Present
    • Bangor, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

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  TRIAGE HOSPITALITY LIMITED

  • Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

  • Owner

    • May 2006 - Present
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

    A hospitality consulting business specialising in creating strategic vision and communicating that to key stakeholders; guests, staff, suppliers, tourist boards, local authorities, etc. Triage then helps companies develop policies, procedures and training plans to deliver on the vision operationally. Clients have included Stapleford Park, Lough Erne Golf Resort, the Carlton Group, Hanly Hotels, Failte Ireland and Invest NI, as well as companies wanting to achieve a greater understanding of the industry. Projects have included assessing issues with a new hotel that had been running for 10 months, however, was not achieving targets. This was a result of poor communication of the vision between the owners, operating company, managers, and staff, resulting in poor execution of service and confused signals reaching the marketplace. A plan was submitted to deal with these issues. This project was extended to include a period of management at the property, assessing the current management team, recruiting where necessary, and then mentoring and training the team to implement agreed solutions.Another project has involved going into a property in the final stages of the sale process and identifying all the requirements to move it from its former position to meet a new vision. This included the development of the strategic vision, a human resource plan, marketing plans, P&L projections, cashflow and balance sheet analysis, capital budgets and snagging plans.Ran training programs for Reed Learning on various courses including Sales, Influencing skills, Minute taking, and Management, lasting from 1-5 days for Companies from Hospitality, Banking, Computing and Insurance.Have worked on several Golf Course and Spa projects both via Failte Ireland and direct with companies. Also working with a company to create and set up an innovative, quality quick service restaurant franchise.

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  The Boat House Dining

  • Bangor, County Down

  • Owner

    • Nov 2016 - Mar 2023
    • Bangor, County Down

    The opportunity to take on The Boat House came up a few years into owning The Salty Dog. Having worked with the previous owners on joint marketing campaigns, alongside a desire to keep a fine dining presence in Bangor and identifying economies of scale, the business was acquired. Again, a clear positioning was developed: focusing on service, local produce and treating a night out at the Boat House as part of the entertainment industry. This led to increased average spends as well as numbers of diners. As a business it was very much set up to help develop young, talented chefs into their first Head Chef roles. It has several awards and has an average spend per head of over £100. Staff from both businesses have gone on to more senior roles in hospitality or have opened their own businesses. As with the Salty Dog the primary role for me in the business was accounts and marketing.It became apparent that increasing the sense of community in Bangor and further afield around the areas that affected both costs and revenue would be of strategic importance to the business. This also fitted in with the business’s triple bottom line focus: Profit, People and Place.This involved creating setting up different activities and marketing campaigns, as well as building and holding and committee positions in the following areas.Local Community:Local Produce:Staff & Employability:Industry Organisations & Profile:Environmental Issues:CovidAll the community building meant that when COVID19 hit the business we were able to take a vocal lead in campaigning for support for the hospitality industry and using the networks to help keep the businesses going. As well as this there were several ideas that managed to help keep revenue coming in. Salty Pup Truck: Take Away: Finish at Home Meals (Sailaways): The Peppery Cat Zero Waste Grocer:

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  The Salty Dog Hotel & Bistro

  • Bangor, County Down

  • Owner

    • Feb 2012 - Jan 2023
    • Bangor, County Down

    Took over The Salty Dog from administration. Created a clear vision positioning the property to take advantage of a gap in the market. This was enhanced by a focus on being dog friendly as well as focusing on local produce. Then developed the physical and service offering to match. Resulting in significant growth in room revenue and further growth in Food and Beverage revenue. The primary role for me in the business was accounts and marketing.It became apparent that increasing the sense of community in Bangor and further afield around the areas that affected both costs and revenue would be of strategic importance to the business. This also fitted in with the business’s triple bottom line focus: Profit, People and Place.This involved creating setting up different activities and marketing campaigns, as well as building and holding and committee positions in the following areas.Local Community:Local Produce:Staff & Employability:Industry Organisations & Profile:Environmental Issues:CovidAll the community building meant that when COVID19 hit the business we were able to take a vocal lead in campaigning for support for the hospitality industry and using the networks to help keep the businesses going. As well as this there were several ideas that managed to help keep revenue coming in. Salty Pup Truck: Take Away: Finish at Home Meals (Sailaways): The Peppery Cat Zero Waste Grocer:

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  Ballyholme Yacht Club

  • Bangor, County Down

  • Honorary Secretary

    • Dec 2016 - Dec 2018
    • Bangor, County Down

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  Business Options

  • Senior Business Expansion Consultant

    • Jan 2008 - Jan 2011

    A partnership between Triage and Business Options sees the first accredited business expansion and franchise consultancy open in Northern Ireland. - British Franchise Association (BFA) and Irish Franchsie Association (IFA)

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  Hastings Hotels, Northern Ireland

  • Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

  • General Manager

    • Aug 2004 - Apr 2006
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

    Responsible for 16 heads of department (200+ staff), 79 bedrooms, banqueting for 600, 5 meeting rooms, a fine dining restaurant (110), lounge bar, pub/brasserie (100), a Health Club and Spa, the whole operation spread over 12 acres. Turnover £6 million, profit £900,000.As well as regular General Management duties the role saw group involvement in the sales and marketing areas. This included the research and appointment of a group GDS/EDS provider, the briefing and ongoing work with a branding agency to re-brand the whole group, as well as the individual hotels, and the appointment and briefing of a UK PR agency.• Through branding control & yield management increased the RevPAR by 20% in the year 1 and 14% in year 2.• Through training and up-selling initiatives increased sales in both F&B outlets by 18%.• Oversaw the doubling in capacity of the banqueting suite working with the project manager and QS to carry out work around the operation of the hotel, closing for only 6 weeks, with minimum disruption to guests, whilst at the same time minimising building costs.• Worked with the sales team to develop strategies to increase occupancy of the meeting rooms.• Cancelled external contract on Spa and recruited and put own team in. Worked with E’SPA and project manager to increase the size of the Spa from 3 – 8 rooms with two relaxation rooms. Put procedures in place to create Northern Ireland’s only 5-star urban day spa. Again, while operation continued. • Project managed the refurbishment of two floors in different styles, co-ordinating architects, interior designers, and electrical, building and plumbing contractors.• Mentored inter-hotel groups of senior managers through an emerging leader’s programme.• Worked with the PR company to raise awareness of Culloden resulting in a place in ABTA’s Top 10 City Hotels.

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  Small Luxury Hotels of the World

  • Leatherhead, England, United Kingdom

  • Regional Manager EMEA

    • Oct 2001 - Aug 2004
    • Leatherhead, England, United Kingdom

    One of the world’s leading hotel consortia with 310 members in over 50 countries, 180 in EMEA, ranging from 3 to 5 star, but all providing top class service. The role was to oversee hotel relations, travel trade relations, and consumer relations, through the use of Account Managers, Sales Managers and PR and Marketing personnel, both wholly employed and contracted throughout Europe and Africa.• Grew the membership by record numbers in 2002 and 2003, whilst maintaining the quality of the hotels. • Conducted regional meetings in 8 countries around Europe, contributing to a 120% increase in intra-European reservations through service and PR based initiatives.• Developed, with the Asia team, and implemented an Asian Spa programme promoted via American Express throughout Europe resulting in over 200 reservations.• Developed specific M&IT marketing campaign in the UK resulting in over £4 million worth of business. • Spoke at the American Express EMEA GES Conference (2004) and ILTM in Cannes (2003).• Negotiated partnerships with, amongst others, Cunard and BA Executive Miles, resulting in over £100,000 worth of incremental business.• Developed new PR strategy with outsourced PR personnel resulting in increasing the value of media coverage by 150%. The strategy also saw the awareness of SLH in the BRDC survey increase from 8% to 25% in two years.

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  Langshott Manor Hotel

  • Horley, England, United Kingdom

  • General Manager

    • 1998 - 2001
    • Horley, England, United Kingdom

    Early CareerThis saw progression through mostly privately owned hotels learning a lot about people management and project management. In first GM role, in close co-operation with the owners, took a B&B and turned it into one of the highest rated and most awarded hotels in Surrey through a combination of clear positioning, redevelopment, expansion, staff training and teamwork.

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  Stapleford Park Country House Hotel

  • Food and Beverage Manager

    • 1995 - 1998

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  Washington Hotel

  • Assistant F&B Manager

    • 1993 - 1995

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  Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

  • Restaurant Manager

    • 1993 - 1993

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  The Royal Household

  • Clerk 'F' Branch

    • 1989 - 1993