making the right decisions has risen from 75 % to nearly 90 %.

delivery . We have seen a number of key corporate clients bring their training back to our venues in-person . Yet some clients have remained wedded to the remote / digital approach enforced by the pandemic . On paper it might have a small financial benefit , but training of this kind is rarely shared or celebrated . A successful in-person training event generates learning / upskilling and fosters great culture which drives improved performance , loyalty and retention – time will tell if their strategy is penny wise and pound foolish ! I predict they will be back in our venues in the not too distant future .

How are you approaching the challenges of HR and staffing , with hospitality generally struggling with recruitment ?

We are recruiting hard and the HR team has done a great job in finding great talent . In addition , we consciously protected our core team during Covid , to ensure that we had the foundations to build on , to and train new team members who join .

Our new international venues are opening new opportunities to our team for progression and our plans mean etc . venues is viewed by new joiners as a business that can develop their career rather than just a job .

From our casual workforce , 80 % have returned to work for the company now we have busy and full venues . Since January we have successfully recruited for around 60 positions .

Our culture surveys for the company show a strengthened loyalty and opinion on whether the senior team are

Above : Nick

Hoare , chief

operating officer

“ Some clients have remained wedded to the remote / digital approach enforced by the pandemic ... time will tell if their strategy is penny wise and pound foolish ”

It is amazing to think that the brand now has 30 meeting and event rooms in New York City . Tell us about that US roll out and , in particular , about the recent third venue addition to the portfolio at 810 Seventh Avenue . Amazing , indeed . 810 Seventh Avenue brings the portfolio in New York to 100,000 sq , ft in less than two years . This third Manhattan property consolidates our offering by adding a West Midtown location alongside 360 Madison Avenue and 601 Lexington Avenue . The design team will be bringing a ‘ Brit of a difference ’ to this latest venue with irreverent creative styling cues such as a London Underground inspired seating area .

810 Seventh Avenue will have seven rooms and a capacity of 140 in the main suite . It has excellent views of the Hudson River , Central Park and Times Square . We aim to match the inspiring views with an equally inspiring interior finish .

The new venue has already been well received within the industry with comments of support from NYC & Co CEO , over 50 requests to view the space in the first couple of days and a healthy pipeline of business .

We have taken huge confidence from how 360 and 601 have demonstrated that our unapologetically focused and simple model works in NYC .

Is the US very much the focus now also for future development and investment ? What other regions are you looking at otherwise ? The two regions we are interested in are other east coast US cities and key European capital cities .

Our ambition , to have a similar sized business in New York as we have in London in the next three years , means the US is a focus for development and investment but we also have growth ambitions in the UK – so watch this space .