Bouncing back?
Can inventive ideas help save a famous Northern Ireland hotel chain?
The Europa in Belfast has the dubious honour of being one of the most-bombed hotels in the world, yet it’s survived for 50 years. It’s this grit that the Hastings Hotel Group, which owns it, hopes will save its hotels after £16.5m losses caused by the pandemic.
‘We’re starting to climb that hill and need to be as creative as possible,’ says James Mcginn, the general manager and director of hotels.
James has booked iconic singer Van Morrison to perform four gigs at the Europa. But as opening night nears, doubts are cast about whether COVID restrictions will be lifted in time.
‘It’s a waiting game,’ says a stressedout James. ‘Van Morrison is here with his crew and ready to go. I don’t know how we’ll pay for that.’
Razzmatazz
Other potential money-spinners include a Line of Duty tour and a double-decker champagne bus in the grounds of the Culloden Estate and Spa. Meanwhile, staff must cope with guests refusing to leave, trashed hotel rooms and ridiculous complaints such as the goat’s-cheese starter being ‘too goat’s cheesy’. ‘God knows what tomorrow will bring,’ says James. ‘We’ll be tested but we’ll smile.’