Simon Farr becomes regional operations director for Thistle London

Simon Farr has been appointed regional operations director for Thistle London, a role that will see him take responsibility for 10 general managers, a HR manager and a finance manager.

He joins the company from De Vere Venues and has previously held posts at Jarvis Hotels, Le Meridien and Posthouse, having started out as a chef.

Farr said: "It's an exciting time to be joining Thistle. We're currently investing more than £100m in refurbishing our hotels; offering a more modern and contemporary style across our 33 central locations. Already Thistle has refurbished more than 1,100 bedrooms and has completely renovated hotels like the Kingsley in London. I'll be working to ensure that we match this investment with our continued commitment to honest pricing and customer care, delivered with warmth and personality."