Bespoke Hotels appoints Richard Grove as chief operating officer

Bespoke Hotels, the UK’s largest independent hotel group, has appointed Richard Grove as its new chief operating officer.

Grove has been with Bespoke Hotels since 2015 and was previously general manager of the five-red-AA-starred, Bespoke-run 80-bedroom Chester Grosvenor. Other prior roles have included senior general manager for Principal Hayley at the 152-bedroom Cranage Hall and the 275-bedroom Palace hotel in Manchester.

He also previously managed the Marriott Victoria & Albert hotel in Manchester, and more recently combined his position at the Chester Grosvenor with a regional role across Mill Hotel & Spa, Oddfellows Chester and Oddfellows Cheadle.

In his new role, he will be responsible for driving the financial performance of the existing hotel portfolio as well as securing new management opportunities for the group. Beyond this, he will also provide leadership to the regional operations, sales and marketing, revenue and distribution, and human resources teams.

Grove will be leaving the Chester Grosvenor in the hands of newly appointed general manager, Steve Ogden, who joins the hotel having held the same role at the four-AA-starred, 138-bedroom Cottons Hotel & Spa in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Thomas Greenall, chief executive of Bespoke Hotels, said: “We are delighted to welcome Richard into his new role as COO and with his impressive knowledge of the industry and proven ability to lead, we have no doubt his new placement will be a real success. This is a very promising time for Bespoke Hotels, with the portfolio continuing to grow across the UK and overseas, as well as our existing properties continuing to thrive following the hardships of the pandemic.”

Grove said: “This is a really exciting step in my career and after many years managing luxury hotels across the country, I am looking forward to putting this knowledge to good use by supporting other budding hoteliers within one of the most reputable brands in the industry. Bespoke Hotels has been a big part of my recent career and I now intend on throwing myself wholeheartedly into this new challenge — sound in the knowledge that the Chester Grosvenor is under the watchful eye of Steve Ogden. This represents a new chapter for me, and I hope my extensive experience and natural affinity to leading others will prove a useful string to Bespoke’s bow going forwards.”

Ogden added: “The Chester Grosvenor is a renowned property in the northwest, and I’m delighted to be able to oversee it. With the hotel having a long-established reputation for excellence, I’ll be seeking to build on that going forward as we look to maintain the highest of standards, continuing to provide delicious cuisine and superb hospitality for our guests.”

The previous chief operating officer was Graham Marskell, who will be remaining with Bespoke, but focusing on development projects.

Bespoke Hotels has grown to represent more than 120 properties worldwide. It was founded in 2000 by Haydn Fentum and Robin Sheppard and now manages more than 5,000 hotel rooms, 6,000 employees and £525m in assets.