Fresh start for Zoffany

Rapid growth has prompted Newbury-based hotel company Management Services International to integrate its nine-strong chain under the new name of Zoffany Hotels.

Chief executive Niall Caven said the new name would allow the group to promote its larger network more effectively.

The hotels have a total of 650 bedrooms in areas ranging from Nottingham to Southampton.

They include the recently purchased 145-bedroom Carrington House hotel in Bournemouth and two former County Hotels properties, the Roebuck in Ware, Hertfordshire, and Highfield House in Southampton.

The group was recently ranked as the UK's 14th fastest-growing private company in the annual Sunday Times/Virgin Fast Track Top 1,000 Companies survey, six places higher than in last year's survey.

Sales have soared from £800,000 to more than £9m since 1994, and are expected to top £12m in this financial year.