How Mark Winter is preparing for the summer season at the Holiday Inn Blackpool

The general manager of the Holiday Inn Blackpool discusses gearing up the hotel in Blackpool’s new business district in time for the great British summer. Caroline Baldwin reports

Tell me about the Holiday Inn Blackpool

The Holiday Inn Blackpool is a modern, stylish and centrally located hotel 144-bedroom hotel that will open on 1 May. It’s just a short walk from Blackpool’s seafront and buzzing town centre.

The hotel will offer guests Marco’s New York Italian restaurant, serving a new menu created by Marco Pierre White, a lounge and bar serving locally inspired cocktails, and a 24-hour fitness suite. The proximity to all the famous Blackpool attractions makes it an obvious choice for visitors, as well as for those travelling for business and conferences in the resort.

How was sustainability considered in the development of the hotel?

The hotel is owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts, which offers a range of tools to ensure the hotel is as energy efficient as possible, including using building management systems to control lighting and heating. The hotel is managed by RBH Hospitality Management, which has an environmental, social and governance policy called ‘Giving something back’, which ensures our commitments follow through in everything we do, from the equipment and technology we use to the staff training provided.

Once the hotel is open, Holiday Inn Blackpool will also go through the Green Tourism accreditation process, so we can measure, monitor and report on the environmental and social impact of our services, which will also help demonstrate our commitments to guests.

Tell us about the F&B offering

Marco’s New York Italian restaurant will be on the ground floor and is open to hotel guests and locals – I think it’ll become a real dining destination in Blackpool. There’s also a lounge serving Starbucks coffee, pastries and snacks seven days a week, as well as ales, beers and cocktails. Both Marco’s restaurant and the Holiday Inn will provide an all-day dining experience as well as host special events. We are working with a wide range of national and local suppliers to ensure we can support local businesses, while also reducing our carbon footprint where possible.

Have you had any staffing challenges?

We’ve received a lot of interest as people in the area recognise it’s a unique hotel with a great offering. We’ve created 80 new jobs to date, covering everything from managerial positions to front of house and housekeeping staff. We’re conducting a rigorous recruitment campaign and have had a fantastic response to our advertisements so far.

We hope the hotel and [Blackpool’s new central business district] the Talbot Gateway development will play an important role in increasing jobs and opportunities for local jobseekers. We want a real quirky mix of employees to join our team and we’re confident that we’ll have a great selection due to Blackpool’s reputation for creativity and talent.

What are your ambitions in terms of occupancy and revenue for the first year?

We’re very optimistic as Blackpool continues to see a big resurgence in leisure and business post-pandemic. As with many hotels in Blackpool, we expect high occupancy, particularly in the height of the season. The £350m regeneration work being carried out at Talbot Gateway will also attract footfall over the next few years, so opening our doors in spring is perfectly timed.