From horse racing to hospitality

What is your background prior to joining the industry? From a very young age my ambition was to be a professional jockey. I rode as an amateur whilst still at school and escaped in the morning to work for a local trainer. After I finished school I got a job as an apprentice and worked my way up from there, from apprentice into the professional rank, riding in some incredible races including the Grand National at Aintree. Why did you move away from horse racing? Unfortunately weight is a key feature and from being a very small 16 year old, I sadly grew! It became increasingly difficult to maintain my weight, and I’d also reached a plateau which wasn’t producing the winners each season. I felt I needed to make the difficult decision and give up on a dream to try and make a success of something else. What was the concept behind the sports hospitality business, True Luxury Sport? It was a time when experiences were becoming the next big thing, and as a sport lover I felt that access to incredible sporting experiences at the luxury end of the market were not easy to come by. We decided to provide that access to people, giving them innovative and unique sporting memories alongside five star luxury. Why did you move into the hospitality sector? My passion is for people and after being at True Luxury Sport for a while it became clear that looking after people was what I loved to do. What were some of the challenges of the move? Being in hospitality is very much about trying to stay in control of situations and giving people the best possible experiences. You have to think on your feet as the best laid plans can quickly go wrong, which is something I learnt from being on the back of a horse that suddenly decides to veer off course! What are some of the similarities? There are a few - satisfaction, great people who are passionate about what they do and it is a hard working environment. Are the skills from your previous profession transferable? If so, what? Definitely – in the hotel industry it’s all about keeping calm when things don’t go to plan and having the right temperament. I also find my competitive spirit from horse racing helps push and drive me. What do you look forward to as general manager at Sun Street Hotel? I look forward to building and working with an incredible team and working with them to make a great success of a beautiful hotel. It’s a home away from home for guests, but with the added benefits that a luxury hotel can bring. Describe your management style? I always try to be positive regardless of the challenges that come along, and I make sure that as a team we’re having fun.I am passionate about looking after people, and by tailoring each guest's experience to suit their wants and needs I know Sun Street will have a loyal following. What are your goals as general manager? At Sun Street we want to be known for the generous hospitality we give, and the fun we have doing it. It’s really important that we don’t lose sight of why we are in this industry – to look after our guests and create a place where they want to be. This industry is all about the incredible personalities of the people who choose hospitality as a career and Sun Street will be all about those personalities.