People

Hearn to head up travel inn brand

Grant Hearn has been appointed the first managing director of Travel Inn, Whitbread Hotel Company's budget hotel brand.

The appointment has been made because of the speed at which the chain of properties is growing.

There are now 143 Travel Inns, the most recent opening being The Observatory in Leicester, which opened on 18 November.

Mr Hearn joined the Whitbread Hotel Company 18 months ago as operations director for Marriott Hotels in the UK.

Nicholson made crescent head chef

Jonathan Nicholson has left his head chef's position at Congham Hall, Norfolk, to become head chef at the Crescent Restaurant in the Montcalm Hotel Nico, Marble Arch, London.

Mr Nicholson began his career at Le Talbooth in Dedham, Essex, in 1986 and returned there in 1991 as premier sous chef.

Jeroen Gerrese rules Britannia

Jeroen Gerrese has become general manager at the Britannia hotel in London, bought by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels in October.

Mr Gerrese will oversee the hotel's refurbishment and development programme, including the possible addition of a ballroom.

Mr Gerrese has worked in the USA for the past 15 years, most recently as general manager of the Drake Swissôtel in New York.

Overall responsibility for the refurbishment of all Millennium & Copthorne's UK hotels now lies with Tony Kaye. He joined the group on Monday this week as project manager.

Banks manager for Rudding park

Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, Yorkshire, has appointed Peter Banks as resident manager.

The new 50-bedroom hotel is due to open next April, and will serve the conference centre already operating at Rudding Hall.

Mr Banks' first task will be to build a 25-strong team to run the hotel.

He began his career in 1986 as a management trainee at The Savoy in London. Since 1994 Mr Banks has been front office manager at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

Halliday job for boyd-thorpe

Nigel Boyd-Thorpe has joined Halliday Catering Services as operations director after nine years with rival contract caterer Catering & Allied Services.

"At 32, this opportunity is five years ahead of my own personal agenda," said Mr Boyd-Thorpe.

Obituary

George Seeley, one of Bristol's best-known hoteliers, has died at the age of 65, eight months after the death of his wife, Yvette.

The couple started Seeley's Hotel in Clifton in 1954 with just one letting bedroom. The hotel now boasts 54 rooms and a restaurant and is being managed by the couple's sons.