Hotel Owner November 2018 | Page 12

MONTH IN REVIEW MONTH IN REVIEW www.hotelowner.co.uk AIRBNB Bristol Hoteliers Association chairman takes AirBnB and short- term let campaign to City Hall Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) chief, Imran Ali, visited City Hall to present a four-point plan aimed at bringing the city’s burgeoning AirBnB and short-term let operations closer in line with the regulated hospitality sector. The BHA - which represents 34 hotels in the city – has lobbied for action against short-term letting sites such as AirBnB which confirmed 144,000 guest arrivals in Bristol last year alone. BHA Chairman Imran Ali, told the head of the mayor’s office that the short-term letting trend was having a “significant impact” on Bristol’s smaller hotels and B&Bs and that some smaller independent operators had been “forced to sell-up because of loss of trade”. Ali presented and discussed a four- point plan with Mayor Marvin Rees’s team including: • An optional, ward-based exclusion zone in which short-term letting operators are required to hold a licence granted by the city council and are restricted to 170 days per year; • I  ntroduction of a Host’s City Levy for all registered hosts based on the model drawn up in Bristol’s twin city of Porto and also in Lisbon; • E  nsure all AirBnB and short-term letting operators are Health and Safety compliant; and Mandatory listing of all short-term letting sites such as AirBnB. Ali said: “Legitimate businesses pay business rates and VAT – short-term letting hosts do not. Listing hosts are not regulated and do not have to undergo the rigorous safety checks Bristol’s hoteliers are required to do.” 12 www.hotelowner.co.uk 1 AWARDS VisitEngland announces winners of 2018 ROSE Awards VisitEngland has revealed the winners of the fourth annual ROSE Awards at the Independent Hotel Show in London. The accolade was awarded to 100 recipients across the country, and puts the spotlight on those accommodation providers across England who provide visitors with the “warmest of welcomes”. The award recognises the owners, management and employees of establishments that go “above and beyond”, making customers’ experiences “extra special, irrespective of star rating, style or accommodation type”. VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said: “From B&Bs in beautiful countryside and glamorous glamping to boutique hotels to quintessentially English pubs with rooms, a range of outstanding accommodation providers right across the country are being recognised today. “It is the human touch that these people provide that make visitors’ experiences memorable, ensuring repeat business and helping the industry thrive.” TOP 3 FROM THE WEBSITE 1. W  hitbread to trial new Premier Inn Concept 2.  Problem hotel to remain closed for three more months 3.  Autumn Budget 2018: Business rates cut for SMEs and new digital services tax 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 HOTEL OPENINGS Native opens its first aparthotel in Scotland Aparthotel group Native has unveiled its first Scottish property, Native Glasgow opening on 15th October. Located in the heart of Glasgow city centre, Native Glasgow sees the multi-million-pound restoration of an Edwardian Art Deco office building, formerly the headquarters of the Anchor Line Shipping Company, into a aparthotel, offering 64 apartments ranging from studio to penthouse spaces. Native worked alongside interior architects ICA to preserve the building’s heritage. The hotel has original features including glazed tiles, terrazzo flooring, timber wall panelling and fireplaces. Native Glasgow’s facilities will include, 24-hour reception, concierge and free high-speed Wi-Fi. In addition to this, the building’s ground and basement floors are home to two restaurants, The Anchor Line and Atlantic, which are open from breakfast through to dinner. Guy Nixon, CEO of Native said: “This is a rare opportunity to reimagine a piece of Glasgow’s shipping heritage as a uniquely special space for the city’s visitors to stay. The building’s glazed façade sold it to us as the ideal location for our first Scottish venture, it’s embedded with nautical emblems, seaweed and seashells. “We have worked in close partnership with building owners, the White Building Properties Company, to mirror the design ethos and opulence of a 1920s ocean liner. Native Glasgow feels like an exciting milestone in our plans to expand our aparthotel business across all major UK cities.” November 2018