Welcome to my first journal!
I’ll be writing monthly updates on everything that’s going on behind the scenes across my businesses. It’s a way of pulling all our plans and news together in one place, so you get more of an insight into everything, and get to know thepeople who make it all happen.
The past two years have been the most turbulent I’ve ever known. It really has been a rollercoaster. We seemed to go from closed to busier than we have ever been, then closed again. Hopefully now we are getting to a more consistent period; we’d all like to see the end of Covid and the restrictions and heartbreak that it brought.
While navigating challenging times, it has made me even more appreciative of the people and team I have round me. They are what I am most proud of. They’ve all worked extremely hard and contribute so much to the success of all the businesses, whether they’ve been with us for over 20 years or have recently joined. I’ll introduce you to some of them in future journals, and let them share their stories.
An important recent addition has been Oliver Bacon-Hilton who joined us as Head Chef in November. He’s already worked in some fantastic kitchens – in fact, he’s actually worked with us before – but this is his first head chef position and he was the first person I thought of when the job came up. I am delighted to have him on board and I’m really looking forward to working with him to develop new menus and constantly improve all aspects of our food offer at Titchwell.
Winter is always a busy time for me. It’s our quiet time for customers so it gives me headspace for projects such as a rebrand for Titchwell Manor. I’m so excited to see the new look come through in the signage, website and stationery. It’s fresh and contemporary and really expresses the beautiful location we have here on the coast. I hope you like it as much as we do!
We’ve installed brand new bathrooms in some of the bedrooms – they’re fresh and bright, and after the success of the shepherd huts that we launched last August it’s been great to focus on the main bedrooms. I take such pleasure in seeing the hotel improve each year, and customers appreciate it too. Look out also for our new boot room where we’ll have maps, brollies, spare wellies, and everything you need for exploring the stunning local countryside.
And finally, don’t miss our charity evening in aid of beautiful little St Mary’s church here in Titchwell! It’s on 10th March at Titchwell Manor and we’ll be laying on a canapé and champagne reception with an oyster bar, then a two-course meal with wine, entertainment and an auction with all profits going to the church. Like many churches, St Mary’s took a financial hit during the pandemic and I wanted to show our support. It’s a special place for my family – it’s where Lydia and I were married, and our three girls were christened. Do support if you can.
I’ll be back next month with an update on our exciting plans at Eric’s Pizza and Fish & Chips. See you then!
