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PROPERTY
Lamington
Group launches
new ‘hometels’
concept
The Lammington Group is to launch
the first of its new concept - ‘hometels’
- which aims to bridge the gap between
an Airbnb property and a hotel.
The serviced apartment provider has
claimed that the 71-bedroom venue,
launched under the ‘Room2’ brand, will
combine the best parts of home with
the services and security of a hotel and
will open in Southampton in June.
The idea was first trialled at Room2
Hammersmith in 2016, with the group
claiming that consumers “want a more
flexible approach to staying away from
home than they did in the past”.
Founder and managing director
Robert Godwin explains: “Speaking
to our guests in both Room2
Hammersmith and our existing
apartments we heard that they want
more than what a traditional hotel,
aparthotel or an Airbnb can offer. They
want something that combines the
best of all three, with flexible living, all
the comforts of home and personable,
attentive service.
“We’ve responded by creating the
Room2 ‘hometel’ concept and we
believe it’s a real game-changer. Our
ambition is to be the brand that creates
and leads the hometel category in the
UK and we’re perfectly positioned to
do that. We’re young, independent and
dynamic, which means we can move
fast to fill this void in the market.”
All rooms in Room2 Southampton
will come with their own kitchen, TV,
seating area, USB chargers, free Wi-
Fi and hairdryers. There will also be
a selection of split-level mezzanine
bedrooms for families.
The ground floor of the hometel
features a spacious, flexible space for
guests to work, socialise or relax day
and night.
April 2018
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AWARDS
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Mayfair hotelier
named ‘Business
Personality of the
Year’ 2018
UK hotelier
Joginder Sanger
has been named
the ‘Business
Personality of
the Year 2018’ at
the Asian Business Awards.
The award was presented by Lord
Tariq Ahmad, minister at the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office and Sky
News presenter Ashish Joshi.
Sanger’s hotel portfolio includes the
Washington Hotel Mayfair, The Bentley
Hotel and the Courthouse Hotel in
Soho and Shoreditch. He came to
the UK from India 50 years ago and
started his own travel agency in 1965,
operating flights to and from India.
Sanger said for him business is
second and his community and culture
is always first. He also acknowledged
the support he received from his family
in building up his entire business and
said he works for them.
UKHOSPITALITY
UKHospitality
launches new
sector-wide
commission
UKHospitality is launching a sector-
wide hospitality workforce commission
to promote understanding of the
importance and potential of the UK’s
hospitality sector.
The ‘UKHospitality Commission
2030’ will bring together a wide range
of hospitality employers and all-party
parliamentary groups, along with other
stakeholders, industry bodies and
authorities, to deliver an employment
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foundation for the sector.
Sector leaders will provide evidence
to identify and address the challenges
and opportunities facing the sector.
The commission will aim to launch a
report of its findings in June, providing
recommendations to the government
in order to secure the future of the
sector’s workforce.
The commission will seek to provide
assured and effective guidance on
a range of issues facing the sector
including:
n Promoting careers and ensuring
retention in the sector
n The diversity of the hospitality
workforce
n Education and skills in hospitality
UKHospitality chief executive, Kate
Nicholls, said: “The hospitality sector
employs almost 3 million people in the
UK, it produces £130bn in economic
activity and generates £38bn in taxes.
It is a vast, vibrant and constantly-
evolving sector delivering jobs in every
constituency. But it is not immune to
pressures or changing consumer habits
and we need to plan for our futures to
ensure it remains robust, relevant and
to secure the workforce of the future.
“This is an opportunity for us to bring
together sector leaders and policy-
makers to promote the great work
we do, change perceptions about our
industry and to ensure that hospitality
businesses are in the best position to
succeed decades from now.”
Michael Tomlinson MP, chair of
APPG Youth Employment added:
“Hospitality makes a crucial contribution
to employment in the UK and provides
fantastic opportunities for young people
to learn and develop rewarding careers.”
UKHospitality’s Commission 2030
will enable us to identify the
skills that are needed and develop
a cohesive plan to offer support
and opportunities for young
workers.
Michael Tomlinson MP,
chair, APPG Youth Employment
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