Langlands Hotel boss leaves for overseas adventure
NEWS that the executive manager of Invercargill’s The Langlands hotel has resigned just four months after its opening caught everyone in the region by surprise.
Although the decision was one of the hardest he had had to take in his life, Bryan Townley said he wanted to clear the air and crush any rumours about his resignation.
The sole reason for it was to pursue a longheld dream adventure with his wife, he said.
Mr Townley said he and wife Bronwyn always had the desire to explore the world but due to their work and family commitments, they were never able to put the dream into action.
After Mrs Townley successfully beat a cancer which was diagnosed four years ago, they thought it was time for a change.
‘‘It was obviously a really tough time and I think the catalyst was last year, [when] we lost two of our very best friends . . . This [trip] was something we really wanted to do.
‘‘Do we wait until we’re 65 years old? And then go on an adventure? Or do we go while we’re still young enough?’’
The couple started to have conversations at the end of last year and did a list of pros and the cons about their move — the only con that was really challenging was the family part, Mr Townley said.
However, after receiving huge support from them, they felt confident it was the right thing to do.
‘‘Step outside the comfort zone and give it a clout.’’
Mr Townley said it was nothing related to the work he had been carrying out at the hotel or ILT — the organisation he had been with for 29 years.
‘‘It was a really, really hard decision. I mean, I’ve been blessed to be given this opportunity to open up the new hotel and I’ve been chipping away in the back of the project since 2018. So it’s not just a shortterm investment.’’
Along with his team, they managed to open the hotel successfully after facing huge challenges such as Covid19 delays and staff shortages, he said.
‘‘We’ve got the foundation in place and I believe we’ve done a really, really good job of that.
‘‘There’s still plenty of work to get done.
‘‘But I’m not, I’m not walking away leaving it, you know, unguarded. The hotel is in a good place to go forward.’’
Even he was surprised with this change as he had planned to stay there for at least five years, he said.
‘‘I really had to dig deep about that, because I’m a bit of a completer, a finisher by nature.
‘‘So to walk away from something [when] I haven’t quite got to the finish line has been a real challenge.’’
Though surprised, ILT board and chief executive Chris Ramsey had been very supportive, Mr Townley said.
Until his last day at work, at the end of March, he would continue to give 100% for his staff and the hotel, he said.
After that, he would be moving to Perth where his wife has family. Perth would be a base to travel from, he said.
The idea is to spend two years away.
‘‘I want to make the most of our time because the plan is when we come back — and we will come back — we will be in a really good place, having ticked a couple of boxes and lived an adventure.’’