Graeme Barclay appointed GM of the George Hotel, Edinburgh as David Welch retires
Graeme Barclay has taken over as general manager of the George Hotel in Edinburgh after David Welch stepped down following 40 years in the industry.
At the George since 2005, Welch managed a £20m refurbishment of the hotel after it was taken over by PH Hotels (Principal Hayley), and also saw the luxury site win Best Edinburgh Hotel of the Year in 2011.
He is handing over the baton to Barclay, who via his two years in the top job at St David's Hotel & Spa in Cardiff, already has significant knowledge of the PH Hotels group. Originally from Glasgow, he is also familiar with Scotland, and has more than 30 years' experience in the hotel industry.
Welch commented that he was looking forward to retirement but would stay involved with the George in a consultancy capacity.
He said: "I've had a fantastic career and have loved my time here. However, I'm looking forward to having time to relax, spend more time with my family and to spend some time travelling."
On beginning his new role, Barclay said: "It's great to be moving back to Scotland to take on the role of general manager at the George. It's a wonderful hotel and I'm looking forward to working closely with the team here to continue delivering a first-class experience for guests on each and every stay."