Owner was 'doomed' from start says leading hotelier
MARK JENKINS was 'doomed' from the moment he signed the Grosvenor Hotel deal.
That's the view of leading Torquay hotelier Keith Richardson as the demise of Mr Jenkins re-opened the debate on the future of Torbay's holiday industry and where coaching holidays, in particular, fit in.
Mr Richardson, owner of the four-star Grand Hotel on Torquay seafront, said: "I was with Mark Jenkins yesterday.
"As soon as he signed the deal for the Grosvenor, I believe that he was doomed.
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"I just don't see how he could have balanced the books in any way.
"There is plenty of space in Torbay for coaching hotels. The problem is, in a word, management.
"They can be run very successfully. I think having them (coach holidays) here as well is the right balance for my customers.
"We are flying at the moment. We've had a great year. I spent £200,000 on a new computer system to make Torquay the booking centre for all my hotels. It really worked and has created five jobs.
"You come into the Grand at any time at the moment and you'll see how busy it is."
A Lancashire-based tour company is offering five days at the Inglewood this November, including dinner, bed breakfast, return transport from as far away as Liverpool, and two excursions for just £209 per person.
Another tour operator is offering five days on the same basis at The Grosvenor for £169.
Cllr Jeanette Richards, who heads tourism for Torbay Council, said: "I believe there is room for all kinds of accommodation in the Bay.
"As for charges I can't comment.
"When I ran a hotel we were at the higher end and that worked very successfully for us.
"We have room in the Bay for all types of hotels because we want to attract all types of visitors. There should be something for everyone."
Former Torbay mayor Nick Bye claimed: "Generally, there is an oversupply of cheap accommodation in Torquay.
"What we need is accommodation with a higher standard.
"People want value for their money but will pay for high quality accommodation.
"Through strategy and planning the current administration must take it more up market.
"You only have to walk around the town this summer to see the poor state and decline in some of the hotels.
"The tariffs are too low for the hotels to be able to reinvest in their future, and then nature takes its toll".
Carolyn Custerson, chief executive of the English Riviera Tourism Company, said she agreed with the views of both Mr Richardson and Cllr Richards.
She said: "There is room for coaching holidays in Torbay and they are intrinsic to the resort.
"Our Turning The Tide Strategy looked at stopping the decline and turning towards growth.
"The coaching sector is already at near capacity.
"However, I have been horrified at some of the costs with hotels accepting £11 for a night's stay in January.
"The business model I was always taught for that time of the year was to cover your costs in terms of staff, food and lighting and then earn enough for a contribution towards things like your business rates.
"We have seen many success stories this year with hotels doing well during a double recession.
"The Grand Hotel had their best month this summer, The Palace Hotel in Torquay has been doing well, the same goes for Torquay Leisure Hotels.
"Others have been struggling but winning, and not doing it in front of cameras.
"At the end of the day the sale of these hotels in Torquay isn't indicative of the situation at large and there is room for all types of accommodation if they are run well."
Comments
by Walter
Monday, October 22 2012, 7:45PM
“Yes Mark Jenkins, you should have grown a hairy beard and ripped off hard working families by making sure that your prices were hideously inflated. Of course, as the head of tourism no doubt will accuse you of, you had wasted the clear advantage of promoting the small strip of beach by what is effectively a beachside motorway to your guests. Go on, rip the heart out of English holidays you deluded bunch of blind hoteliers, you have jealously stripped the town of its only star but in so doing you have scored a terrible own goal.”
by Chunder123
Saturday, September 29 2012, 3:04PM
“Another SH***Y day in paradise”
by Chunder123
Saturday, September 29 2012, 3:02PM
“HOtels are a real pain at times. Just checking in to get keys to a room with some beds to sleep in just doesn't seem worth the hassle. Lugging a suitcase or backpack around with your clothing in to your room is not particularly something enjoyable. HOlidays are nice in some ways but in others they are just a real hassle.”
by cherrie54
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 11:41AM
“Very good point hotellanger. But who would want to go to a hotel for at best amature bingo and talent show the latter not even properly organized or with prizes worth having. Yes there are theatres yes they do put on shows of sorts but mostly not easy to get to at night in the case of babbacome and meadfoot. All with the exception of the princess are old hat. Nothing is even remotely up to the minute with the shows nothing for the young. The radio road show showed that those sorts of event would be well attended. The same goes for bike nights and firework night which was a weakly event a couple years ago. What about a classic car show?why are the agatha cristie events put on only out of season.If some of the hotels want to be differant why has not one at least come up with the full package of retro thirties style in keeping with the agatha cristie theme. If done fully and correctly this would attract overseas visitors. Even some of the coffee shops and resturants could get in on that act with thiries style treatment. There's allready the steamtrain attraction why don't it conbine with a retro bus to take visitors up to greenway instead of stopping at station then expecting visitors to walk up. I know there is allready a retro bus service but if you miss that you've had it and it has to be booked. Why isn't there a bus from the bay at least for the summer to places like seaton for the bus and tram museaum or to old world seasides like sidemouth anouther attraction if marketed right for american visitors ect:. Mind none of this is much help on the face of it for the poor old resident but at least it might create jobs.”
by Hotelavenger
Tuesday, September 18 2012, 10:47AM
“And how many people who are complaining about the lack of entertainment have ACTUALLY supported the Grosvenor in their various theme nights that they have organised or tried their steak restaurant?
Or visited Offshore that has live entertainment on most weeknights?
Attended any of the 3 theatres, the TOADS little theatre in Meadfoot has put on some excellent productions (that we have attended), seen any of the top quality shows and acts that have graced The Princess .... Chicago? Legally Blonde?
If there is a lack of entertainment it's simply because nobody feels that as a genuine business opportunity it would generate enough income to support itself.
If YOU feel that there is something lacking and you could provide it and make a successful business out of it, then get on with it.
Find some premises and do it, no-one is stopping anyone from doing anything. Don't just sit there complaining it doesn't exist. Create it.”
by pendell
Monday, September 17 2012, 11:29AM
“wet weather is a big problem for the west of england,the council should erect solar panels over the promenade and all pedestrian areas along the sea front,then they could rent out spaces underneath to local traders,and the council would get free electricty,and also rent and rates from traders,also people would be out and about to spend money instead of being stuck in their
hotel or b&b.
delboy.”
by cherrie54
Sunday, September 16 2012, 2:21AM
“A glut in cheap accomadation try looking at your bookings figures. If you are a tourist it is nigh on impossible to get self catering accomadation between june and september. But stacks of hotel accomadation that to my mind speaks for it's self. Either the hotels are over priced or are of poor quality that is the only explanation. Yes the weather has played a large part in it this year. But what the main cause is also the lack of investment. Too many have creamed the industry when the going was good but never put anything back now those who bought from them are paying the price the remainder who have been here for some years well you've only yourselves to blame. Stop wishing for the good old days of the bay being upper crust. Start catering for todays life style get into the 21st centry. A lot of joe bloggs residents would like to see a return for thier rate payers money. Not airy fairy ideas of grandier re kindling days gone past. Investment in the small shops to upgrade them. The lifting of a lot of parking restrictions. A bit of evening entertainment other than over priced resturants serving badly cooked food and boozy pubs catering for the wide screen bridgade and hen and stags.”
by seeweed
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:23AM
“"Mr Richardson(grand hotel) should stop commenting on other hotels in the bay and get his own house in order, with a food hygenie rating of 0 out of 5 maybe he should worry about things alittle closer to home. even Marks budget hotel scored higher. he has the cheek to call others”
by Hotelavenger
Thursday, September 13 2012, 9:46PM
“I couldn't agree LESS with Carolyn Custerton, this ENTIRELY INDICATIVE of what is happening in the Bay. How many hotels have gone under and closed as a result of cheap room rates and cheap coaching holidays. I can name 8 in the last 18 months.
Not to mention the ones that have been sold to developers or burned down. The only way to bring Torquay up is to generate more income. People will still come to Torquay, even if every hotelier put their prices up by 50%.”
by Hotelavenger
Thursday, September 13 2012, 9:41PM
“Instead of Torquay hoteliers trying to entice the lower priced end of the market by farming their product to coach companies offering a weeks holiday for £169 (I paid more than that to stay a week at BUTLINS in 1978!), why not tell the coach companies to get lost or pay a decent rate? We need to raise prices to raise the profile of Torquay.”