Member Article

Gisborough Hall is ‘open for business’ following investment

Gisborough Hall is further investing in its corporate offering with investment in its meetings and events spaces and the appointment of a new business development manager.

The upgraded business facilities come following Gisborough Hall’s announcement in April that it had become a fully-independent hotel for the first time since it opened in 2002 to allow for investment and growth.

The luxury four-star hotel has already invested more than £30,000 in new wi-fi throughout the hotel and the owners have earmarked further spending to update several of its 10 meeting rooms.

In addition, Gisborough Hall has recruited Vicki Jackson as its new business development manager. Vicki has around 20 years’ experience in corporate hospitality in areas such as revenue and operations management. Vicki, from Middlesbrough, joins Gisborough Hall from the Jury’s Inn brand where she has worked for the last 16 years.

Gisborough Hall attracts a variety of corporate clients including Premier League football teams, global industrial organisations and businesses from across the Wilton site and offers a self-contained conference centre with meeting spaces and suites that can cater for up to 400 guests. The venue has a dedicated events’ team as well as on-site parking and team-building activities such as archery, off-road driving and clay pigeon shooting.

As well as the upgraded meeting facilities, Gisborough Hall has also invested in a new in-house reservations team and a ‘welcome host’. And, as announced at the end of 2016, work will get underway on a new multi-million-pound spa this year which it’s hoped will be open by Christmas 2018.

Kim Yardley, general manager of Gisborough Hall, said: “Our events and conference facilities have always proved very popular and, because of that, needed to undergo a refurbishment. We benefit from a peaceful, countryside location that is also near all major routes, railway stations and Durham Tees Valley Airport. Thanks to that, we attract a number of major corporate guests including the likes of Premier League football clubs and world-renowned organisations.

“In addition, it was vital that we invested heavily in better technology for our guests as well as a new website detailing everything we can offer. What’s more we also have a growing events team with specialist expertise to showcase not only what Gisborough Hall can offer but also the wonderful, surrounding area too.”

Vicki Jackson added: “It’s a fantastic time to be joining Gisborough Hall’s team as it’s a completely new era for the business. I’ve worked within the hospitality sector for many years and I am looking forward to expanding what this stunning hotel has to offer corporate clients, following its investment.”

Gisborough Hall employs a team of over 100 local people and will create new positions in the coming year thanks to its new independent status and with the development of the spa.

The directors of Gisborough Hall took the decision to become fully-independent as the property celebrates its fifteenth anniversary as a hotel and restaurant this year. The ownership of the business and the hotel team remains unchanged but it will no longer be a Macdonald Associate hotel.

Earlier this year, an AA inspection rated Gisborough Hall as one of the top destinations in the North East and North Yorkshire. The hotel received its best inspection to date and was awarded the AA’s four ‘Silver Star’ rating for its overall quality and two AA Rosettes for its food. The silver stars mark Gisborough Hall out as being of superior quality and are one of the highest hotel accolades available in the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison Associates .