Obituary:

Ermes Oretti, development director of Swallow Hotels, has died of cancer, aged 64.

He joined Swallow in 1967 as manager of the George hotel in Chollerford, Northumberland, and was promoted to open the four-star Swallow hotel in Stockton-on-Tees in 1972.

He went on to become area director for England, and in 1980 he and his wife Kitty took over the lease of the Lord Crewe Arms hotel in Blanchland, Northumberland.

In 1984, Oretti was appointed Swallow's development director, opening nine hotels, including the five-star Swallow in Birmingham and the Swallow Royal in Bristol.