Hospitality Action supporters raise £25,000 going ‘back to the floor’

Senior figures from the hospitality industry were recently sent back to the floor by Hospitality Action as part of a special fundraising dinner.

Hosted at the five-star Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey, the event raised £25,000 for those in need across the hospitality sector.

Danny Pecorelli of the Exclusive Hotels group; Philip Newman-Hall of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons; John Stauss of Four Seasons Hotel London; Richard Ball of Calcot Manor; and Harry Murray of Lucknam Park were among the star waiters testing their silver service skills.

Guest sommeliers included Simon Numphud of AA Hotel Services and Ufi Ibrahim of the British Hospitality Association.

Simon Numphud commented: “What a fun event to be involved in! A truly unique service team line up resulting in a highly successful evening for 130 guests. There was a great atmosphere back of house as everyone pulled together for Hospitality Action.”

Lending support and running commentary throughout the evening was Hotel Owner columnist and Pride of Britain Hotels’ Peter Hancock. He remarked: “This was a unique opportunity to see some of the UK’s leading hoteliers go back to their roots and use skills in which they have had little or no recent experience. Each of our guest waiters and sommeliers did a magnificent job and truly stepped up to the challenge on behalf of Hospitality Action.”

Hospitality Action chief executive Penny Moore said: “Raising funds in January is always difficult as many are understandably feeling the financial strain after the festive season. The £25,000 raised tonight has kick started our 2013 fundraising efforts, thus we are indebted to Danny Pecorelli, Philip Newman-Hall and Peter Hancock for making this possible. I am also extremely grateful to our waiters and sommeliers for giving up their time and demonstrating skills they never knew they had on our behalf.”