Cracking Christmas enjoyed by The Inn Collection Group

The Inn Collection Group is reflecting on a successful end to a year of sustained growth in 2022 as it reports on strong occupancy rates over the Christmas and New Year period.

The Newcastle-based company enjoyed bumper bookings during the festive break with 82% of available rooms booked up by guests getting away across the north of England and North Wales.

New Year was particularly strong across the group, with 95% occupancy across its 23 open properties, six of which were fully booked.

Included in the sextet were Sunderland’s The Seaburn Inn, which also enjoyed 100% occupancy over Christmas, The Angel Inn at Bowness on Windermere, which reopened to guests following refurbishment on December 27 and Beaumaris’ The Bull’s Head Inn.

Driven by special festive staycation packages which combined two and three-night stays with breakfast and dinner throughout, bookings helped drive a 20% increase in like for like revenue compared to Christmas 2021.

With a cost of living crisis still impacting on household incomes, The Inn Collection Group’s rooms director Kate Bentley says the performance shows offering value for money can help the industry weather the current economic storm.

She said: “We’re delighted to have had so many guests choose to stay with us and make a stay at our Inns part of their festive celebrations.

“The economic challenges facing everyone are well documented, but the booking rates show that if you can offer people a break that they feel presents value for money, the customers are out there.

“Our teams across the group have done an outstanding job in allowing us to do that and to finish the year on a very positive note.”

Away from Christmas and New Year December as a whole has been busy for the company, which added a further eight new properties to its portfolio over the course of the year.

At the start of the month, it completed the purchase of the iconic art-deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe from Lancaster Foundation whilst throughout, more than 900 guests enjoyed Breakfast with Santa over the course of 16 events at eight separate sites.

The Inn Collection Group also provided support to a range of activities in the communities local to its Inns, playing a part in ensuring treasured Christmas traditions continued.

Thanks to financial donations totalling more than £9,000, Christmas lights shone brightly in Ambleside and Coniston, Seahouses New Year fireworks went off with a bang and the children of Grasmere received extra presents at the annual party held by the local RAOB club.

There was also support of elder members of the community through the Winnter Warmers campaign, which offered half-price hot drinks to those aged 65+ as the group partnered with supplier Ringtons Tea and encouraged people to get out and remain warm and social.

Reflecting on 2022 as a whole, The Inn Collection Group managing director Sean Donkin said: “2022 is a year we can be proud of. Our people have shown huge resilience in the face of a challenging climate, and it is great to have seen that reap rewards throughout the year.

“We’re now looking forward to an exciting 2023 with the business set to evolve further with 12 Inns currently under refurbishment set to reopen and deliver further growth for the group.”