Two new city centre hotels will create 60 jobs when they open in January.
The Novotel and Adagio hotels are part of a £50 million mixed development opposite Leicester’s Highcross shopping centre.
Between them they will provide 250 short and medium-stay rooms, to meet growing numbers of visitors to the city on the back of things such as Leicester City Football Club’s recent successes, the discovery of Richard III’s bones under a car park and Leicester’s bustling night-time economy.
The 154 room, 10-storey Novotel is expected to attract corporate clients through the week, and tourists at the weekend.
It is connected to a six-storey Adagio aparthotel which will target people who need a longer-term stay in the city, with rooms featuring cooking facilities and extra storage.
Staff are also being taken on at the independent restaurant NineB, which will be located within the hotels.
They are part of the Great Central Square development – which will also have Grade A offices and a bowling complex inside a Victorian railway station – owned by Leicester-based developer Charles Street Buildings Group.
The hotels will be run under the Accor brand.
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Ten senior staff members, which between them have a combined experience of more than 245 years, have already been appointed to work across the hotels and restaurant to manage a team of front and back of house employees.
James Conaghan, the former manager of Leicester’s Grand Hotel, is general manager of both establishments.
He said: “We’re incredibly proud of the team that we have put together – each person brings a unique skillset and a wealth of experience so we have no doubt that they will thrive within their roles and help the development to do the same.”
Nikki Wilson, director of sales, will manage business bookings for both hotels.
Scott Mills has been appointed as revenue manager for both Novotel and Adagio and will work alongside Rachel Case, who will take the role as finance manager.
Karen Feeney will take charge of HR and work alongside 10 front and three back of office staff who are yet to join the team.
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Judit Ruiz has been appointed as operations manager at Adagio and Manpreet Singh will be in charge of operations at the Novotel.
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Aman Sirpal will take the front of house manager role, while Manish Sharma, who ran The Boot Room restaurant and Marco’s New York Italian in Leicester, will be food and beverage manager of NineB, which will have a workforce of more than 10 catering staff.
The hotels will be recruiting for a conference and events supervisor and two night porters, as well as room, conference and events reservation agents, while the restaurant is looking for chefs, supervisors, two kitchen porters and food and beverage attendants.
James Conaghan said: “We are still very much on the lookout for people to join our team.
“I think it’s important that we are able to create these jobs and invest in the skills and expertise of the people of Leicester.
“We currently have an incredibly strong set of staff and we are excited to see that grow and expand as the hotels and restaurant launch in the new year.”
The housekeeping services will be outsourced to a team of more than 20 people who will work alongside maintenance manager John Fletcher.
The hotels will also need 20 temporary members to deal with the heightened demand of the 2020 festive season and for following years.