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A family-run hotelier has secured jobs and is helping to support its local community during the coronavirus shutdown, after securing a five-figure finance package.
Walker and Williams, which owns and operates four boutique five-star aparthotels in the North West of England, will use the funding to support cashflow and help secure jobs for all of its 50 team members, based at its sites in Preston, Chester and Ormskirk.
Walker and Williams has remained open to cater to a small number of guests including service personnel, visiting Ministry of Defence staff and a family that recently lost its home to fire.
The hotelier also recently launched a dedicated service from its headquarters in Preston to help vulnerable or elderly people who are unable to leave the house during the coronavirus crisis. This included hotel staff picking up and delivering groceries, collecting medicine or any other practical support that staff could reasonably provide.
Max Walker-Williams, founder and director at Walker and Williams, said: “Walker and Williams is a family which means that, no matter how long this goes on for, we are not willing to let a single member of our team go. While the hotels are quiet, we’ve been able to shift our focus and help support our local community.
“Lloyds Bank has been instrumental in this, by providing us with the additional cashflow we needed to secure jobs. This has given our staff peace of mind so they can meet their commitments and look after their families.”
He added: “Lloyds Bank has been incredibly quick to respond to our request for support. The approval came less than 18 hours after we asked for it and was independent of government commitments.”
