I wake up at 7.30am and get into work around 8am. My daughter is doing her work placement at Carden so we are both going together.

Every morning is about making sure each department is running smoothly and checking feedback from the previous day.

I read the night porter’s report which records all procedures and night checks of the hotel and if there are any immediate actions to complete. Next I prepare myself with the function sheets which detail all the business we have in the hotel that day including any conferences with specific requirements. I will also do a quick check of all hotel areas including the conference rooms, bar and restaurant and ensure breakfast is running smoothly.

We promote teamwork throughout the hotel and have a hands-on approach to assist other departments when required.

Guest feedback

Then, it is back to the office to answer any queries and letters with my PA. This includes a check of the guest questionnaire report. Our heads of department use this daily to inform their teams of our customer feedback and comments we have received. We use this for praise and further training.

Next, I look at the accounts against the forecast and the daily control of our costs and wages. After that the team looks at the new business that has come in from the day before and decide what actions we need to take to convert this to definite business.

At the moment we are in the middle of a £4m hotel refurbishment and so far have completed the leisure facilities, golf buggy paths, conference rooms and the Carden Suite, our largest conference space.

For lunch I try and eat healthily. I help myself from the conference buffet or a couple of times a week I will eat with the estates manager to catch up.

After lunch I like to meet our events manager and ensure all is going well as the outdoor activities are a vital part of Carden’s success. We do a lot of team building days, staff incentive days and residential fun days.

Later in the afternoon I catch up with heads of departments. We have just employed nine new trainee managers within different hotel areas so how they bed in is a priority of mine at the moment.

If we have a large dinner I will stay and supervise that or meet the organiser then I may go home at 9.30pm. If the hotel has a quiet spell I will finish around 6.30pm.

Dress: A blazer and trousers or a suit unless I am on the golf course which doesn’t happen often enough!

What is the favourite part of your job? Delivering exceptional customer care and making sure all guests’ stays are memorable.

What is the least favourite part of your job? It has been difficult to source fully trained staff previously as the hospitality industry isn’t always seen as a glamorous option to study at college. However with our new trainee manager project we can now ‘grow our own’ and train while they are here. An apprenticeship scheme is the next one on our to do list so we can employ and train our own young team for the future.

What would be your dream job if you weren’t doing what you do now? I’ve got my dream job at Carden Park - I opened the hotel in 1997 and I am still here!

How do you relax when you are not working? I enjoy cycling and I am training for the Mark Cavendish Cycle Run with colleagues from Carden. Another hobby is my motorbike and I go out around Cheshire and North Wales for leisure rides. However, I am really looking forward to a weekend break in Scotland and biking around the Isle of Sky, Inverness and Fort William.

What is your favourite film? Notting Hill.

What is your favourite book? Strike Back by Chris Ryan.

What is your favourite song? She by Elvis Costello.

If a film was made of your life, who would you like to play you? Richard Gere.

Have you had your 15 minutes of fame yet? I won hotel manager of the year for De Vere Hotels. This was a massive honour and privilege as

Factfile

  • Name: Hamish Ferguson
  • Job: General manager
  • Born: Leven, Scotland
  • Lives: Cheshire
  • Education: Buckhaven High School, Scotland, college in Edinburgh and further spell at Cornell University with De Vere Hotel general managers
  • Family: Married to Andrea with daughter Alexandra and son James and a Doberman called Coffie.

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