06.02.07
Falmouth event to highlight hotel and guest house support

A series of events is about to take place to highlight how hoteliers and guest house owners can expand their businesses using specialist advice as well as investment. The first event was held in Falmouth on February 13th.

Accommodation owners that have already benefited from the honey2cornwall programme will attend each event, as well as the project managers and other hoteliers interested in the scheme. Each event is to be held in a hotel that has already benefited from honey2cornwall.

honey2cornwall is the follow on from HONEY, a highly successful project that led to accommodation providers in the Newquay area dramatically improving the quality of what was on offer to visitors. Because of its success honey2cornwall was launched, rolling the project out across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Both HONEY and honey2cornwall have received Objective One investment and are administered by Newquay for Excellence Training Limited and Restormel Borough Council.

Examples of HONEY success include the Watergate Bay Hotel, the Bay Hotel, and Bedruthan Steps Hotel. All have seen an increase in trade since receiving advice and investment.

Ruth Vincent, honey2cornwall programme director, said: "The ethos behind honey2cornwall is to offer a combination of business mentor support, specialist advice and access to capital investment.

"The capital investment available to honey2cornwall members is up to £30,000 and enables varied purchases from televisions and kitchen equipment to whole new leisure facilities.

"Members of the programme are able to test their business ideas out with their personal business mentor which is a unique experience in what can be for many sole proprietors a lonely business. The advice that is given is tailored to individual business needs. With only limited spaces available can you afford to miss out?"

honey2cornwall has been designed to operate as an exclusive club where establishments benefit from business support through which they can then access funding. On joining the club and paying a one-off membership fee of £750 every business is allocated their own business mentor, who will undertake an initial business analysis, designed to help to identify priorities for each establishment. Every member will also have access to a team of specialists who are all practitioners within their respective professional field and range from structural engineers, architects, computer experts to marketers and interior designers.

The Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth joined the honey2cornwall programme in 2006. As a result of the expert support it has received £28,000 of investment towards bedroom upgrades, public area work and the purchase of a range of new kitchen equipment. This work is currently underway and is hoped to be completed this spring (2007).

The total project cost for the whole refurbishment is £88,945. It is an upgrade of 34 bedrooms through the supply and installation of luxury fitted bedroom furniture and a range of other bedroom equipment which can include wardrobes, bedside tables, headboards, chests of drawers, dressing table tops and mirrors.

Neil Slade, Greenbank general manager, said: "The honey2cornwall initiative has provided a wealth of experience in many areas relating directly to the hospitality sector. The ability to talk at first hand with specialist industry advisors has helped me to realise my own dreams and further develop the aspirations of the team as a whole."

For further information contact Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager for the Objective One Partnership Office on 01872 223439 or email cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in HONEY and honey2Cornwall through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Editor's notes:

Dates and venues for the three honey2cornwall events are as follows:

February 13th, 11.30am, the Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth
February 21, 11.30am, The Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club
March 14, 11.30am, Hotel Penzance

honey2cornwall is based around quality and the National Assured Quality Standards (NQAS) together with five core disciplines:

• Guest Service – adding value for the guest
• Marketing Approach – incorporating all aspects of marketing
• Pricing Strategy – costs and pricing for every element of the business
• Support Systems – addressing IT, HR and legislative matters
• Physical Environment – grant aided enhancements & equipment purchases

Expert information will also be provided to honey2cornwall members via workshops. Each workshop is created around a specific brief and designed to be very different from the standard 'talk and chalk' style. The workshop environment also encourages members to network.

Every honey2cornwall member will be eligible to apply for up to £30,000*, which can be used towards enhancing their businesses to help them meet their quality goals. A Gateway Fund Manager is available to guide members through their applications.

Honey2cornwall has a total project investment in excess of £6million, including more than £2.3 million from the Objective One ERDF. This equates to thousands of pounds worth of professional assistance per business.

* Terms and conditions apply.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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