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2026 Programme
09:40 – 10:25 Market Insights

Beyond the Horizon

A sharp, data-driven deep dive into the financial and economic currents shaping the UK hotel industry. The panel will unpack raw macroeconomic data, tying CPI changes and debt finance realities directly to RevPAR, ADR, and disposable guest spend.

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10:25 – 11:10 Operations

Frontline Fortitude

Hotel operators are caught in a pincer movement: skyrocketing supply chain and labour costs on one side, guests demanding flawless value on the other. This panel digs into asset management, smart cost-control, and building operational agility across diverse portfolios.

Julie White
Julie WhiteAccor
David Anderson
David AndersonAimbridge EMEA
David Hart
David HartRBH Hospitality
11:30 – 12:15 Leadership

The Modern Anchor

Managing a modern hospitality workforce demands a shift from old-school hierarchy to empathetic, visionary leadership. These industry standard-bearers explore how to inspire loyalty across multi-generational teams, foster open communication, and maintain personal mental resilience.

Christian Masters
Christian Mastersart'otel Hoxton
Caroline Gregory
Caroline GregoryThe Lovat Hotel
Simon Numphud
Simon NumphudAA Media Services
12:15 – 13:00 Events Market

The New Roar of MICE

The MICE sector looks radically different than it did a few years ago. From hyper-personalised retreats to tech-heavy hybrid conventions, this session uncovers what today's corporate planners actually want from a venue — and how to maximise yield per square foot.

Shonali Devereaux
Shonali DevereauxMIA
Varun Shetty
Varun ShettyThe Belfry Resort
14:00 – 14:45 Development

Blueprint for Growth

Despite tight credit markets, the appetite for strategic hotel development remains fierce. Brands and asset managers discuss the shift toward conversions, brand repositioning, and adaptive reuse over ground-up builds.

Tim Davis
Tim DavisPACE Dimensions
Gavin Taylor
Gavin TaylorClermont Hotels
Paul Blackmore
Paul BlackmoreHilton
David JM Orr
David JM OrrResident Hotels
14:45 – 15:30 Technology

Beyond the Buzzwords

AI is already driving revenue and plugging labour gaps. This panel cuts through the jargon to showcase how automated guest messaging, contactless check-ins, and predictive analytics can save thousands of labour hours.

DB
David BeersChoice Hotels
RBH
AI SpecialistRBH Management
CT
Canary PanelistCanary Tech
15:55 – 16:40 People & Culture

People First

Recruitment is tough, but retention is where the real battle is won or lost. Industry leaders share actionable advice on mental health initiatives, flexible working models, and defined career progression pathways.

Mark Lewis
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16:40 – 17:05 Crisis Management

When the Custard Hits the Fan

In a 24/7 digital world, a single bad incident can escalate into a viral PR nightmare within minutes. A compressed, highly practical session delivering an actionable blueprint for emergency communication and brand protection.

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Home > Latest News > Hotels > Starboard Hotels acquire Riverlights Holiday Inn
Riverlights Holiday Inn

Starboard Hotels acquire Riverlights Holiday Inn

In this episode we speak to Nico Tréguer, co-founder of Roberts and Treguer and The Culpeper Family. Nico spoke about founding the group alongside his longtime friend Gareth, having had a vision for bringing more nature spaces to cities, the planned extension of The Buxton in Spitalfields, and how the site’s storytelling engages guests and the local community, how the Culpeper Family’s core sustainability ethos helped it secure its B-Corp status and why hospitality has a responsibility to educate and innovate when it comes to sustainability.

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Riverlights Holiday Inn in Derby has been acquired by Starboard Hotels.

The acquisition of the 105-bedroom Holiday Inn Riverlights, sees the Starboard portfolio rise to 15 hotels across the UK, with four new hotels being added this year alone.

The Holiday Inn, a full service hotel with conference and banqueting facilities, was brought to the market by the CBRE Group on behalf of the Moorfield Group for offers in excess of £6m.

In addition to the hotel, Starboard have also purchased two retail units with a view to expanding the hotel restaurant and bar.

Coutts & Co provided senior debt for the acquisition which is now the 14th hotel to be funded by the bank.

This latest acquisition also expands Starboard’s Intercontinental Hotel Group property portfolio to six hotels under the global brand.

Founder and managing director Paul Callingham said: “It has been a tremendous year of growth for Starboard and we are delighted to have made another important acquisition. We welcome the team from the Holiday Inn Derby into the Starboard ‘family’ and we are looking forward to working with the General Manager Carrie-Louise Holleran and her team.”

Kerian Barnes, group operations director for Starboard, added: “This is a great hotel for us to take over and utilise all our experiences from our other IHG properties to improve facilities and the overall guest experience.

“We are looking at developing the ground floor at the Holiday Inn, where we will be expanding the hotel, introducing the open lobby concept and improving the restaurant and bar which will create new jobs for the area.”

Heiko Figge, head of hospitality, leisure & operations, Moorfield Group said: ““We are pleased to have sold the popular Derby Riverlights Holiday Inn hotel to such an experienced and expert operator as Starboard and would like to thank the General Manager and her team  for having done such an outstanding job during our ownership of the property. The team has continually delivered the highest room occupancy in Derby and I am sure that the hotel will continue to flourish under Starboard’s ownership.”

The Holiday Inn purchase comes less than a month after Starboard acquired the Windermere Manor Hotel in the Lake District. 

Starboard Hotels are anticipating further acquisition news early in 2018 in addition to the commencement of building work on the new Hampton by Hilton hotel at London’s Park Royal, due to start in the Spring.

It now brings the total number of bedrooms under Starboard Hotel’s ownership to 1,424, under brands including Best Western, Ibis, Days Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn.

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