Looking local is policy issue for new hotel
L12-931 23/7/12 Opening of the Ramada Encore Luton Airport Hotel by the Mayor of Luton, cllr Syd Knight. L- Tony Giauna, hotel manager R - cllr Syd Knight, Mayor of Luton wk 30 CP JX
A NEW £10million hotel near Luton airport plans to use local suppliers as much as possible.
The 124-bedroom Ramada Encore opened on July 23 with town mayor Syd Knight cutting the obligatory ribbon with manager Tony Giauna.
About 35 members of staff working at the hotel were recruited through Luton Job Centre and the business believes in keeping things local as much as it can.
Stuart Broster, operations, sales and marketing director at hotel management firm Then Hospitality, said: “Wherever possible we will use local suppliers; we already do with food and the laundry.
“If the company already has a cost-effective national deal then we are not looking at putting our costs up.”
The hotel’s management is also using a local training provider to help staff improve skills, is sponsoring Luton Town Football Club and has chosen Luton’s Keech Hospice Care as its nominated charity.
A conversion of a former training centre, the hotel aims to attract local residents, not just its guests, to its events and dining area. The hotel, which boasts soundproofed wooden floors and triple-glazed windows has conference rooms taking up to 100 delegates in theatre mode.
Luton South MP Gavin Shuker, Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Keech Hospice Care guests were also on the guest list for the opening.
Mr Shuker, whose constituency covers the airport and its environs, said: “People are making investments in Luton. This is a significant investment.
“It’s great to see local employment opportunities. We have a really good, skilled workforce here in Luton, who are good at this kind of work”
He added that Luton airport provided thousands of jobs, with plans for more. He was hopeful the operator and the owner of the airport would soon agree on a joint plan for growth that could be made into a planning application.
Mike Keel, chief executive of Keech Hospice Care, said 75 per cent of the two hospices’ annual £5million running costs come from donations and corporate backing was a vital part of this.
He added that the support of businesses gave the Luton charity access to possible volunteers in the shape of employees, who go on to raise funds for the cause through annual events like the Midnight Walk.
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Wednesday 22 May 2013
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