Derbyshire businessman reveals he risked all to transform hotels
The Maynard, named East Midlands Wedding Venue of the year in 2021 and 2022, has just re-opened in Grindleford catering for weddings up to 130 people, has a 110 seat restaurant, a bar and 19 bedrooms.
The George, nestled in Hathersage, is a 500-year-old building once frequented by Charlotte Bronte and has had 12 bedrooms refurbished plus £40,000 spent on an outside garden
It is a popular Gastro pub serving up to 300 people each day in the restaurant, with food sourced from local suppliers and the hotel's rooms are busy as well.
SAVE 30%: The Maynard is celebrating its reopening with 30% off food, Mondays to Saturdays, until February 18. Full details – CLICK HERE.
Rob, the Managing Director of Longbow Bars and Restaurants, today revealed the huge challenge he had transforming the hotels after first taking on the Maynard just before the first Covid lockdown closure.
He says it left him exhausted and on the brink of bankruptcy, having ploughed everything he had into the business.
Rob, aged 38, said: "Obviously I was gutted to begin with and really took it to heart, but after a few weeks I picked myself off the floor and decided to use it as an opportunity.
"I worked every single day – we were gardening, renovating and painting. We started to do takeaways and offered free meals to the NHS and then reopened and had a fantastic summer. But then, as things happened, we closed again."
He decided to expand his portfolio at the end of the second lockdown.
Rob added: "I was approached about The George Hotel in Hathersage. It was the one that I always originally wanted. A great opportunity, with the location, the building itself is over 500-years-old and has links to Charlotte Bronte. We decided to go for it."
He grew up in the Peak District town of Bakewell and the hospitality industry was in his blood. His parents, John and Diane, ran H's Wine Bar in the town centre.
"When I was 18 I went to work in France as a chef for six months, I did a hospitality and management degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and got on the graduate scheme at Pitcher and Piano and worked with them for three years as an assistant manager in Brighton,” said Rob.
He enjoyed stints in management rolls with the company in Southampton, Bristol and Newcastle before the call of the seas was too much to resist.
"I decided for a complete change of scene and worked on the cruise ships for two years, looking after all the beverage operations and on the biggest cruise ship of the time, the Oasis of the Seas. I realised it's no lifestyle, it's a job, got to see the world and I'll never regret it but I wanted to make my life on dry land again,” he added.
Rob then took over a bar in Nottingham with remarkable success, he also spent three years at The Farmhouse at Mackworth.
Acquiring The Maynard and The George, refurbishing them and increasing what they offer locals and tourists alike, he has funded it all out of his own pocket and says there is no secret partner bank rolling the operation.
The Maynard has re-opened after being closed for a few weeks while finishing touches were added to the historic hotel.
Rob added: “We’ve tried to keep the heritage of the building with a slight contemporary edge. What we’ve done now is we’ve actually decided that we need to make sure the interiors of The Maynard, especially the restaurant, match the quality of the food and service that we’re offering.”
The changes awaiting visitors to The Maynard also include a locally crafted grand oak reception desk, made by Twisted Wood. The restaurant has new ambient lighting, new furniture, great artwork on the walls and serves up locally sourced food, expertly prepared by head chef Greg Robinson.
The bedrooms in The Maynard hark back to a time, nearly a century ago, when the hotel was a popular destination for the touring Australian Cricket team.
Rob said: “The Australian cricket team used to stay at The Maynard when they were playing at Queen’s Park and at Bramall Lane - there was the 1938 team which is widely considered to be one of the best cricket teams of all time, captained by Sir Don Bradman.
“We’ve got loads of memorabilia, signature cards of all the cricketers, we’ve got pictures of them outside and we’ve even named all of the rooms after the cricketers as well.”
Then there is also the real Lord of the Manor, George, the resident Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel, who will be on hand to welcome visitors into his home, but only if he’s rewarded with attention, bones and adequate fuss.
As for the future, he admits he will probably move on from The Maynard and The George but that won't be for a while as he still has things he wants to do to both venues before he sets his sights elsewhere.
LINKS:
The Maynard, Main Road, Grindleford, United Kingdom.
Tel: 01433 424110
Email: [email protected]
Web: the-maynard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMaynard2020
The George, Hathersage, Peak District National Park, Hathersage, United Kingdom
Tel: 01433 650436
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thegeorgehathersage