Manchester Hoteliers’ Association (MHA) chair and GM at The Lowry Hotel, Adrian Ellis, has today welcomed the decision from the UK government announcing the reopening of leisure and hospitality venues and the relaxation of social distancing rules from 4thJuly.
On the back of the Prime Minister’s address to Parliament and the public on Tuesday, Adrian was ‘happy to hear the news and optimistic of an immediate bounce back in the sector albeit not to the levels experienced prior to the lockdown.’
He said: “We are looking forward to welcoming guests back to hotels across the region and working with our hotel teams who are now working to prepare hotels for a safe return. We are still incredibly mindful of social distancing and creating a safe environment for all staff and guests whilst adhering to the guidelines published yesterday.
“We are however aware that the successful reopening of the industry hinges on consumer confidence in the region and the potential announcement of air bridges which will allow the restart of the tourism industry. We are confident that things can now start slowly returning to normal in the coming months.”
Adrian- who has been in the post 5 years- also hailed the 1m plus rule which was unveiled yesterday morning marking this as a ‘huge step forward in the successful reopening of restaurants, bars and the restarting of banqueting events at hotels across the city.’
“This relaxation makes it much easier for venues and hoteliers to start planning the re-opening of restaurants and bars as well as looking at their event calendar which was put on hold in March.
“Although I don’t believe conferences and banqueting will return until early 2021, this gradual recovery is a step in the right direction for hoteliers across the region and means event teams can begin revitalising their schedule.”
The UK Government’s guidelines were published this week for the sector and Hotels will be taking on board the recommendations for social distancing and hygiene and sanitisation guidance. Adrian commented that ‘this is an important step in reassuring our guests that hospitality is a safe industry to start frequenting again from early July.’
The MHA has a 50-strong membership made up of general managers of hotels throughout the region. Its key objectives are being a strong voice for the hotel community, and continually improving the offering for visitors spending time in the city.
Adrian added: “We are looking forward to welcoming our guests back to venues across the city in an environment that is safe and secure for guests following all government guidelines. It is a sentiment that is shared by other hoteliers across the city who feel positive around this announcement however there is still a long way to go until we see things returning to normal.”
During the lockdown period the MHA spearheaded a campaign that encouraged hoteliers across the city to donate toiletries and leftover soft drinks from the mini bars to provide care packages for NHS staff and vulnerable members of the community.
