What a week UK Hospitality has had since our last episode. 3 huge fundraisers - Lunch4Ukraine, The Springboard Awards for Excellence and Back to the floor for Hospitality Action. The Latter, gave me the opportunity to meet today's guest.

I got some time with Jason Adams, Managing Director of the beautiful Rockliffe Hall in the North East (https://www.rockliffehall.com/).

As always, we get through loads including:-

• Taking on a new role at the beginning of Covid
• The Staycation
• The North East
• Grabbing the bull by the horns on your career
• Starting in the kitchen
• Moving to the front operation
• Le Manoir Standards
• Moving to Jersey
• Developing people
• Letting good people get their wings
• Improving business
• Looking after people
• The adapting leader
• The expansion of Rockliffe
• Community
• How to complain

And so much more. Jason has built a cracking career so far and with a history of improving businesses wherever he goes. There's so much learning in here from start to finish including being proactive in your career.

Thanks so much Jason.

Enjoy!

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

00:00.00

philjstreet

Hello and welcome to the next episode of hospitality meets with me your host Phil Street today we're back into the world of hotels and I'm joined by someone who has made a bit of a name for himself within the world of country house hotels with such names as Fox Hills the Lygan Arms amongst many others behind him and now he finds himself at the helm of the stunning Rockliffe hall in the Northeast. So I'm of course talking about the excellent Jason Adams welcome to the show. How are you.

00:28.28

Jason Adams

Good morning Phil Morning very well. Thank you? Yes, it's been a funny old 2 years but yeah we're getting there.

00:37.24

philjstreet

Hasn't it just that's a great way to sum it up a funny old 2 years for sure. Have we ever learned so much about ourselves in ah in a period of our lives.

00:39.69

Jason Adams

Up absolutely not and I'm you know obviously you've been in hotels now 27 years and various guises but to to walk roedor and six weeks later shut and then. Completely reword rejig everything you've ever learned in hotel keepeping regards to furlough and staffing redundancies and costs and shutting down hotels which have never been shut before it is really was a challenge but also a good learning curve as well.

01:06.85

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah, you know I hadn't even put the timeline together there actually that you had been actually in your current role in such a short period of time before everything went a bit crazy.

01:20.88

Jason Adams

Yeah I mean ah to be fair, my brief was you know it's come in and you know have lots of restructuring of of the team start looking at costs are pushing revenues bringing the team bit more commercial. Um. And you know in the first six weeks you know you kind of do a lot of observing about the team and what happened to the business. What decision we made what stretches are in place and then we shut so you know clearly I had so many ideas to put in place but then literally the door is closed to the spre she closed the Friday before the actual um. Formal closure but the interesting thing is it then allowed me to do things very much more quickly than I would probably have would done over the next three to five years restructuring um sadly redundancies came very quickly which I didn't want to do and the first time I've been involved in redundancies. It's a very difficult thing to be doing as.

02:12.85

philjstreet

Yeah.

02:13.69

Jason Adams

Course you know putting people have jobs is just a terrible thing to do and you know luckily the hotel has come Back. We brought quite a few members of the team back which is great but still, it's a process I wouldn't want to go through again and we've learned so much in lockdown furlough business rates and all those kind of things and and know bring about the team and. You know, well-being and health care of the team is very much prevalent now as it's ever been and it's really important to us.

02:36.75

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah, and I both if that's one of the greatest things we take from from all of this that. Yeah, then then actually sometimes you've got to go through some adversity to get to some. New ways of thinking some some rebalancing of things and and I think that's definitely ah, a lot of people seem to have taken that from this period No indeed somebody said to me um, actually in the midst of recording these podcasts I remember um it was quite early on and talking to like I can't even remember who it was.

02:55.91

Jason Adams

Absolutely no, no paying no gain is to say.

03:10.47

philjstreet

It was somebody from America so it's probably Jim Knight and um and he put a completely different perspective on things from me at the time when it was all fresh and nobody really knew what to make of it. How long were we? Well at that time we were only going to be in lockdown for three weeks that that changed so something chronic. But um.

03:23.87

Jason Adams

Yeah, so.

03:30.00

philjstreet

And he said to me um, very simple words what a time to be alive I mean you know when do we get an opportunity to learn how to deal with something like this and I thought I mean you know I like to think of myself as a positive person but that was taking positivity to a whole new level.

03:44.69

Jason Adams

family who my son who is like: 1920

03:59.24

philjstreet

Yeah.

04:03.83

Jason Adams

She couldn't do anything he was getting paid but he wasn't working and I felt so sorry for the younger generation that you know they weren't allowed to do and live their lives but you know as we know a lot of people now down the line to use down the line many many many people weren't able to live their lives and do the things they really wanted to do and that's a very sad state of affairs. But.

04:17.98

philjstreet

Yeah.

04:22.14

Jason Adams

Um, hoping now it's behind us. We can move on. We can push on forward and see what goes on in the next twelve months

04:25.99

philjstreet

It feels like it. It feels like we have turned ah a huge corner and and especially now in the midst of recording this on the seventh of April there's a new variant but they're going to be here all the time and um, but the important thing is.

04:37.79

Jason Adams

Yeah, yeah.

04:44.33

philjstreet

Is for the media to stop losing their proverbial stuff over case numbers I think you know case numbers are going to happen. Um, it's it's everything else that we need to keep a ah loose eye on.

04:46.67

Jason Adams

Yes, absolutely.

04:55.41

Jason Adams

Yeah I think that I think the government have being I think I say clever but not so clever, but they've also put the ons on the businesses in narrative. They've kind of wiped the hands of it. You do have what you want to do? we still have a policy in place if you have covid you can't come to work we we encourage members team members to. Say at home take holiday if possible. But ultimately we're going to have to live with it and get on with our lives because if we carry on doing what we've been doing in the last two years whenever you we never do anything though. It's in poor.

05:22.10

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely and that that doesn't even count the cost of what that impact has on society in general. But anyway that's not why we're here today. We're um, but not. It's interesting to hear how because you know you're um, having started the role you and not.

05:32.93

Jason Adams

FFF.

05:41.89

philjstreet

Not a long time in the role before before that happened I suppose it must feel a little bit like you now are kind of let off the leash a little bit.

05:48.88

Jason Adams

Ah, most definitely I think 2 years I about I mention you know we've had to learn a lot of things do things very differently to what I was hotel keeping in the previous years but now we have the strategies. We know what we do in the safecation market still here. You've probably seen the carnage at local airports. Manchester Birmingham he throws last couple of days which hates say it does encourage the staycation market because you know who wants to go in and stand in that for 6 hours and then miss their flight and whatever else who needs the hassle just come up to Northeast or anywhere in the Uk have a great holiday I've done it myself I've been to Scotland been to Cornwall.

06:09.00

philjstreet

Yep.

06:15.88

philjstreet

Yeah.

06:24.90

Jason Adams

Wed normally go abroad but it's now time to say in the Uk make the most of our beautiful country, beautiful hotels, restaurants, etc. So we're all changing and I think you know we've got a stretchy in place now Rock Cliffs now in a very strong place and I think we're we're going in good places and getting on.

06:43.45

philjstreet

Yeah, ah the staycation market has just gone insane I mean the um I like you have looked to my own shores a lot more in the last little while because as you say the last thing you want if your time off is precious. The last thing you want is to be spent.

06:43.66

Jason Adams

Name on on the map as it were.

06:59.30

Jason Adams

Yeah.

07:02.89

philjstreet

Half of half or a full day getting to an airport staying there and you know and then actually maybe not even making your flight I mean I can't even comprehend what that would do to the mood. Um, so yeah, just jump in the car and get yourself up to the northeast are you are you county durham.

07:08.25

Jason Adams

Um, yeah, yes.

07:18.74

Jason Adams

I mean we're in County Durham literally we're a model from North Yorkshire so literally you go the drive turn and left over the bridge and that's North Yorkshire so we're pretty much on the cusp and you know yorkshire more is you know, half an hour away and it's beautiful. But Northumberland and Arrowway Newcastle 40 minutes got saltburn.

07:21.90

philjstreet

Yes, right.

07:30.88

philjstreet

Yeah.

07:37.40

Jason Adams

We got some beautiful areas up here and I think we need to get the name of the northeast out there as as a real destination. Yes, indeed G literallyitch you can hear hear the cars from here. Absolutely the giary free miless on the road.

07:42.10

philjstreet

Absolutely and you got Croft circuit there as well as ah as a motor racing fan.

07:53.14

Jason Adams

And also got Durham City is up for a short list of counter durham's up Shortliftter City culture of twenty twenty five. So we're all kind of Bush Low areaia I think there's a lot of investment here as well. The treasury you're moving to Darlington with richieunak. So that's literally 5 minutes away as well. We've got freeport and teaside.

08:01.25

philjstreet

Fabulous.

08:08.54

philjstreet

I didn't know that there we are.

08:12.62

Jason Adams

Yeah, so a thousand employees from the treasury moving to Darlington so just help this norths south divide. So we've got a lot of investment going in the biggest gigga factorctory battery for electric cars going in in in North Newcastle over the next couple of years. So there's huge investment here.

08:16.81

philjstreet

Right.

08:29.34

Jason Adams

And I think's a really good place to be for employment for destination with be holiday. So there's a lot going out' here and and it's ah it's a good time to be around northeast.

08:36.35

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely well, we're going to come back to rockliff hall down the the line of the conversation. But before we kind of get into that um in more depth. Ah, ah, the reason why we're here is to learn about you and and your journey and story. Um I mentioned a a few names I mean you're. You're one of the few people that I actually when I do my research which just involves looking on Linkedin basically um is that you I can see your whole career pretty much on there which is fabulous and you know there's ah a hell of a rap sheet of places that you've worked for over the course of your career. But. What I loved actually um is going up if we go all the way back to the beginning. It certainly looks like you might have started life in the kitchen.

09:20.39

Jason Adams

I did indeed I actually went to western tuquameric college for education to study to be a chef and did my city in guild with Btech diplomas which all great I started my first real job at ra present in balath as a commy chef and at the time it had a mentioned star.

09:34.53

philjstreet

Um, yes.

09:39.60

Jason Adams

And if I'm completely honest I felt that I needed to be guest-facing at that point I got in the kitchen. Loved it of course. But I've just missing that guest interaction. So I kind of hit is really interesting thing I kind of felt after the time I was at royal present that it wasn't for me. So. I applied to 50 hotels. The the best 50 hotels in the Uk at the time I was very young there I was very you know green around the yearss but and I applied 50 hotels. The Glen Eagles the memoirs the duke lens the world and I think eight six or 8 replied to be saying thanks but nothing at the moment etc and then one night

10:12.68

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

10:16.24

Jason Adams

1 very late night and I can tell you it's probably about 11 thirty twelve o'clock at night. The duty manager who was the hr manager at the manuir Kaesol phoned me and said would you like to come for an interview. We're looking for a training manager tomorrow tomorrow. Yes, of course I was in bath.

10:28.21

philjstreet

To.

10:31.79

Jason Adams

That was off senior Oxford so it wass like I wasn't driving then so my parents took me up there arrived got into the reception hall and in walks e and center and alllan crosst in reception just as as you do this? Yeah and this is my dream the like formula one wow what's going on.

10:43.22

philjstreet

Of course. Yeah.

10:50.66

Jason Adams

It was British Grand pre- weekend they had exclusive uses mclaren at the time which they did every year had my interview shown around by the training manager at the time was offered the job the next day and then within two weeks I started the role as a front full porter but it was a training management role. So.

11:04.50

philjstreet

Yeah.

11:07.45

Jason Adams

Um I spent a lot of time being in front of Paul Porter you know taking guest luggage etc was just kind of the start of everything but then the training management scheme started and I worked in the kitchen with cly fretwell on the cookery school I was his com for six months at a great time of life and everybody in then she will know clivevevery. Well um, and then we're at the restaurant reception housekeeping events I work at the whole department and I think everything i' ever done this has set me in good stead for my career going forward because the manmo standard you know there is nothing like umwa sand's 2 mission stars 5 red stars with it now and it set me in a good place.

11:38.64

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

11:46.52

Jason Adams

And I think at the time I I was there for for four years five years I left there was offered a very small gm role I mean general manager at 24 and I was like go take this. It was very if I can be honest with them. It's a very rundown and a 3 star 18 bedroom motor on the ex home.

11:54.72

philjstreet

Wow.

12:04.97

Jason Adams

Oxford but it gave me an opportunity to be a general manager and it wasn't general manager the same sink of you know you signing office doing accounts strategies e cetera you were taking orders in the restaurant you were checking people out. It was a very small place. But for me, it was just yeah, a general manager general assistant almost one of us. So.

12:08.25

philjstreet

Yep.

12:15.66

philjstreet

Ah, a full general manager. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

12:24.25

Jason Adams

So um, I was there 5 years but in those 5 years we were we became ah, brought in Simon Crawi who's the head chef he's now the food members director at Grantly Hall um he's who he's had a wonderful career. He brought us 3 rosettes. We joints men up small luxury hotels the world. We won condenas. Smallock hotel with the Condodosria Hansson sits now so we really achieved some really great things there in those 5 years and and really brought the hotel to its forefront. Um, and and built some good good relationships with the industry people and I was over five years had my family there at the time as well. So then. 5 years late twenty nine I was approached by Simon Rattigan who knows in scarre believe it or not and Tom and Joslyn Mao Own Cm hall c horre was just in the in the basis of being opened and the spara wasn't open the hotel was when there for an interview. In fact, actually I take back. It was actually the saming there was sister property over the lake district but we I interviewed and at the end the interview said well why don't you come and see him more not not saming so like well I've never run as far before we'll teach you we show you so great. It was an 18 bedroom hotel. Not much bigger than the previous hotel and.

13:22.89

philjstreet

Right? okay.

13:41.36

Jason Adams

Hopeful' run it Stuley Priory um but the trick here was it had 18 treatment rooms and 18 bedrooms and a huge spar fifty Thousand Square foot spar so it was a completely new thing to me when we set up the spar at sixty six zero therapists because of the yeah.

13:55.45

philjstreet

Um, well criche.

13:59.16

Jason Adams

So it turned over about five and a half million just in this bar but because of the the about therapists about treatment rooms if you think that we still couldn't cover all them because the times that the treatment rooms were open from twelve eight in the morning to a ten at night with cover all that holidays days off sickness. It was just about right? and.

14:14.49

philjstreet

Yeah.

14:17.37

Jason Adams

At the time england I think were using us at the time. There's a lot of footballers around in Newcastle sunderland harport middles bra. So it was very popular at the time very in and I think for us to where Danny earlier Danny came up to see him more to see see a horsepar to set up Penny Hill's spot I think or even.

14:34.14

philjstreet

Ah, really, ah, he's not stupid that man is he.

14:37.21

Jason Adams

Watch camera which was now. But yeah Danny oh no ups. You know there. He's one of the best so that that was that was kind of sea him hall. Um, ah Tom and Josson Mexico then decided they wanted to sell up and things changed slightly. So just by chance coincience an opportunity came up from. Um. Patrick Burke in the in Jersey in Ch Islands and we felt you know our son was very young. It would be perfect time to go to channel islands and look at that I got there and Patrick will might me it mind me saying I got their green carpets pink curtains laminated menus I thought what am I doing here.

15:10.69

philjstreet

Ah, that's not that's a far cry from the manmoir.

15:14.29

Jason Adams

But yes of course and I think you know the the good thing was that Patrick know he needed to upscale, be competitive the the jersey channel island market was dying a death of almost really much of the the spains and that you could go to Spain for half the price.

15:31.72

philjstreet

Right? yeah.

15:34.30

Jason Adams

So he very quickly got on board and um invested we we kind of rebranded the hotel we gave the restaurant a name. It's ocean at the atlantic hotel I've already Mark Jordan who was currently who was at at gilton lodge at the time. Um, and when I arrived we had kind of 1 rosette. And the chef was very clear. It was like he was retiring. He was going on to do other thing so it's like he kind of could just sit it in so Mark Jordan arrived and the new brand of the restaurant had been done. The hotel refer had been done and literally within eight ten months um we got 3 xs. And then we got 4 roettes and then ten months later we got a mixlin star which was amazing and it wasn't expected to be honest because um, it wasn't it wasn't on our radar. We were how kind of put it. We were doing a hundred cups for lunch every day.

16:16.49

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah.

16:28.72

Jason Adams

So we were thinking. No, we're never going to get star. So you know that's it. But interestingly, um, in those days some years ago now. The mission started brought out in January not October as they are now so we used to close in chaise and January it is a very quiet month and most of the island would shut down and it with very seasonal a mark.

16:29.85

philjstreet

Yeah.

16:46.76

Jason Adams

And his wife at the time and still is his wife Bagda went off to Poland for their January break and we got mission star I couldn't get hold of Mark and tell him he didn't know for like 3 or 4 days. So um, that was quite fun so he can I got got hold of in the end and you know because he said oh god I thought to me died.

16:54.45

philjstreet

Ah, ah.

17:06.50

Jason Adams

You know and 10 miss scores or whenever else. So it was it was a great time for him to come back really push out the business went through the roof then and you know Patrick quite clearly was very happy. Got started got 4 assets in the One program.

17:16.49

philjstreet

Yeah, did you set out to to achieve the star Jason or is that just one of these things that happened.

17:22.45

Jason Adams

I think I think because of the things we put in place we always aspire to 3 rosettes and I know there's always this question Mark about is three roettes the same as a missions star. They they want different things. Um, but no I have to say no probably not. It was 3 resettes that was our a and we worked close to the a um. Um, we just got it and we were so surprised but I think you know great. We had it well they had it there for years then she Mark left and went out to accept his own business after after I'd left. So I think all in all, we we also won pride Britain hotel of the year when I was there as well. So it was a good time. For Jersey in the channel islands at the time and I think you know like that continues from a foo point of view over there. You've got bohemia who's got a star. You've got the grand I think to Sally's got a star and the longer man I've got 3 is that so the' still very foody island and it it does work very well. It's a beautiful place to live so that was the antic.

18:13.40

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

18:16.83

Jason Adams

Um, where where next. So yes, so in fact, being honest, what actually brought us back to the Uk is my wife's mother passed away so we got stuck on the island in fog late foxx the airport shuts. So the 3 or 4 days are stuck in there and we realize you know.

18:29.29

philjstreet

Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

18:35.68

Jason Adams

You know we can't do this anymore. We need to be back on the uk so that was a good kind of good decision. Um I then met up with Mark Chambers the Md of eden hotel collection 1 at 3 hotels at time and speeder re was the owner who and who now owns scc and various sevenminar 8 hotels. Um. We're Goingnna open up the the a and rocks at raw shakespearetheatre in stra vanavven and it had been literally and I cannot tell you when we looked at it. It was a thistle before and it had sticky car pits and it was in a dreadful state. So.

19:07.19

philjstreet

Lovely. Yeah.

19:10.47

Jason Adams

So Peter invested near £: 500000

20:04.55

philjstreet

Yeah.

20:08.82

Jason Adams

That's really the ardden and then foxhis came about um and again my book big first resort job and to be honest at he loved it. Um, it was really big and we're talking in 3 golf courses. A huge spara 70 bedrooms 12 tennis courts crashche.

20:24.62

philjstreet

12 Yeah.

20:27.64

Jason Adams

You name it. It had it. So um, it really was a real good learning curve for me. The owner was so helpful to me kind of me growing and me learning I once around the corner from Penny Hill we met Danny quite a lot and we had quite a good few relationships with three and a half thousand members there as well. So it was quite um. And outlook into how membership and how the revenues go in hotels like that and having a good strategy. We had a good refurbishment program and you know Fox has gone straight to straight though. We hosted the pga cup which is the biggest amateur golf tour but behind the rider cup. There when I was there. Um and we took on a couple of very good people who now have gone to do bigger betterta things you know for director of golf I took on he was a he was a head pro at a local golf course in high Wickham he's now the director of golf at belfry.

21:05.67

philjstreet

Yep.

21:19.13

philjstreet

Um, right.

21:21.98

Jason Adams

So to have those kind of bring those people on build them up and then move them on I think it's a very great thing to do for for employees when they're working for you and I don't mind staff leaving if they're going to go on and do bigger better things. It read.

21:31.65

philjstreet

Yeah I think that so it's almost good people unless you can provide a ah very I suppose clear and diverse path for them to go within your property people good people leaving is inevitable isn't it I mean you know you've got to let them go.

21:46.26

Jason Adams

If of course yeah absolutely and I think you know we grew we work really well together and we grew together and I was learning he was learning but he came to one day and said look Joce I need to leave and that's like why but this is um, this is on the table and I said I can't blame you. You know when the belfry.

21:49.28

philjstreet

Get their wings.

22:05.15

Jason Adams

Come to you and ask you to be director of golf. 1 of the best golf course in the country history of rer cup etc. You can't turn it down. So um, I'm also proud that he's worked for me. He's learned a lot from me and the place we work together and he's gone do bigger meta things and that's all I want for my team members.

22:10.20

philjstreet

Um, here.

22:20.89

philjstreet

Yeah, but that that right there is class because I remember I'm a recruiter as you probably know by day and you know I've I've headhunted many a person over the years and I always remember.

22:24.88

Jason Adams

Oh.

22:37.12

philjstreet

1 specifically. Um when I had the hotel manager roll on at the corner in London and I pulled a guy out of the marion hotel in Dublin um, to go there and um, he's gone on to amazing things himself and.

22:41.82

Jason Adams

Oh yeah. On.

22:54.50

philjstreet

Um, but I also I always remember the point of him resigning from the marion hotel and his boss saying to to him look I'm I'm almost proud of the fact that we've been able to nurture somebody good enough to go to the court up.

23:09.51

Jason Adams

Yeah up to.

23:11.46

philjstreet

Um, and I thought it's just that is it's such a a wonderfully classy response to a key member of your team leaving. Um you know and I But what's the point in standing in their way if the if you've got to kind of let them go with blessing.

23:26.38

Jason Adams

Absolutely and I think you know the great thing about when Chris was with me and I'm sure he'll he'll back this. We grew the the course the membership experience the golf shop the revenues the strategy across all areas of golf and we both learned from it. It was my first golf golf club. As well. So I've learned from Chris Chris had learned from me the hotel side and we've really gone on to do our bigger meta things especially Chris and you know he's not just one of them. There's there's 2 or 3 probably that I could mention but he always sticks in my mind as that person whereas of course want to keep you but I don't want to stand in your way. Absolutely not. You need to go off and you know. Build this build the belfry to what it you know, even better than it is today. So for me, it was really important. But yes, it happens and as you say there's nowhere else from to go then you've got lengo.

24:12.81

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah, because at least then they leave positively rather than I hate it here now because I'm being stunted and yeah.

24:16.80

Jason Adams

Absolutely yeah, absolutely you can't have that I mean I'd rather somebody would go if they felt in that way and I'm hoping that we have a good enough relationship that we'd be able to talk about those kind of things.

24:28.93

philjstreet

Yeah.

24:31.10

Jason Adams

So foxhills was that was that and you know we grew revenues of group profit margins there significantly and and it was a good time and I think the owner Mark is still the and d there and he's he's a very good man and the family of lovely so I then then took me back to back to Lincoln and arms. In fact, um, as general manager there. And the reason I went back. There is because it was back at home because I was actually commuting and staying down in Surrey and commuting back at weekends et etc. So after kind of four or five years if kind of I would say tedious is the wrong word, but you know clearly I have a family and sometimes you've got to think about your family as well. So I went back to ligan eight six bedrooms

24:53.14

philjstreet

Okay, right.

25:03.97

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

25:09.52

Jason Adams

Fairly smallest spar in a country you country house cotswell village beautiful and when it would get there and Andrew Stoneridge 1 moment might be saying it was fairly quiet. The room makes very very high The spa was fairly quiet. It can be operation is quiet and I think iconic. As they will say they've been running fivear operations so they tried to put the 5 star element into the fourtyling andar and the price point just wasn't there so we had many discussions with our commercial director Lee and Andrew and we debated quite a lot about it and it was it was you know very positive in the end.

25:33.52

philjstreet

Right.

25:44.21

Jason Adams

We decided to lower the rates to drive occupancy with the rooms which have incremental spend in this bar and and be food and beverage and it absolutely transformed the business it was like turning a tappo. So I think all my decisions I've ever made in who tele to be that is probably 1 of the best ones we've ever made because it literally transformed it from kind of.

25:53.82

philjstreet

Right.

26:04.18

Jason Adams

Making ah a loss after make it major refurb into a one point eight million pound profit 27% give it up so those those were great times but you know that.

26:07.91

philjstreet

Fantastic. But also shows you that that it's not a one size fits all approach right? I mean you've got to understand your marketplace. You've got to understand the the property's capability. Where its strengths are its weaknesses and all of these things and that you can't just take what's worked somewhere else and and roll that out in the next place.

26:29.12

Jason Adams

Absolutely. And yeah I think one of my key um key strengths I would say is I've managed a missionsions di restaurant I've managed a seaside resort a big golf resort a country hotel and all these things and I can pull. And little things from all those different areas to make sure the property are managing can work right? because as you say it doesn't always fit and we've got to try different ways and do different things until it works and I'm I'm not 1 for changing anything because change is right? you change it because you think it's the right way to do if it doesn't happen. You put your hands up and say.

27:04.38

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah.

27:06.38

Jason Adams

Didn't work but you've got to try some things and luckily that did change things dramatically and that's carried on since I left which is great so I'm really pleased with lion and you know it's a great operation but you know Rockliffe came up being the md of a 5 red star property. You know was something I couldn't turn down. Clearly I've been the northeast before so I knew the area with seem hall. My wife wasn't too okay. Had come back to Northeast but when she saw darling and the hotel we bought house and lockdown. She's transformed now so you know the rock cliff is is where we are now and we've got. We've had lots of things going on. We've got lots of plans going on which I'm sure we discuss but you know it really is a very beautiful place. We've got an amazing team here and I'm um, glad to say I say touchwood and my hotelier colleagues will be very jealous of this. We've had no staff issues for the last two years

27:57.93

philjstreet

Wow Yeah, well that is ah a big win. Um in in the midst of um of what feels like everybody's ah pulling in the same direction at the moment. Um.

28:01.59

Jason Adams

Yes, absolutely. Yeah, yeah, and our ah our ops director Chris who's actually um, moved on to actually the grand in York believer or not he went to the institute hospitality of think in London and and presented us why we haven't had staff issues and. Some of the hotelier were kind of godsmack the things we were doing in lockdown and I think without signing room to their tellier I think they've realized they should have done a lot more a knockdown for their team members. Um I've talking to some team members of hotels clearly with name nameless but haven't even spoken to their manager or Md or gm.

28:39.94

philjstreet

Yeah, right? Yeah I mean that that's that's almost unforgivable without without knowing who it is ah I don't want to offend anybody on this shore but at the same time. It's um, yeah.

28:42.32

Jason Adams

And the whole rock down. So yeah, and of course not.

28:56.41

philjstreet

If you've not been doing that then I think you've completely misread the situation and that that we're in I think people more than ever need to know that they are part of something and that's um and that they're respected and that you know they've got a place to flourish.

29:00.45

Jason Adams

e and then we reopened summer: 2020

29:31.76

philjstreet

Right.

29:43.60

philjstreet

Yeah, this is not yet.

29:49.47

Jason Adams

Um, we closed and the sad thing is we've literally Spen like 16 grand putting Christmas decorations up for our Christmas guests and then we were told to guts so it was like Christ. So all the staff were kind of you know their their emotions were going up and down all the time and we had to kind of keep the engaged and we had you know we nearly had 50 staff still working here.

29:54.00

philjstreet

You are.

30:08.72

Jason Adams

Um, at times we still had commercial team. We still have reservations. We still had security concierge green key thing estates. We didn't want to let the you know the estate go to go to grass as it were so we wanted to make sure that but ultimately in that time we still had to make sure.

30:17.51

philjstreet

Ah.

30:25.15

Jason Adams

The team members who were still on board and you have to remember. Also we were going through redundancy processes at the same time that they were fully involved in what we're doing what was happening being communicated to. You know we did what we we still do. In fact, that went I Yesterday we now do a what's called a rocky roundup and it locked down it was talking about um people going for walks. And they were doing what they were doing the kids with the pets and it it's such a small thing but everybody loved it and everybody gave all their pictures of what they were doing at home and their walks and they felt a sense of belonging. Um at rockc cliff hall and I think that's continued and we've had we had bunngo bingo we've had quizzes.

30:55.40

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

31:04.51

Jason Adams

Dressed up at Santa on the Santaol you know it's silly things like that. But it might mean nothing to some people but it means a lot to ah a fair few of them and I think that was important and we kept going on with that and we kept going and we kept communicating we a team meeting for online training and everybody and I mean everybody was.

31:10.75

philjstreet

Um, yeah, absolutely.

31:22.51

Jason Adams

Communicated to and spoken to almost well more than weekly. Probably every other day so there was always that interaction with me the ops team the senior team and they were all doing their thing as part of this to make sure that they felt still felt included and that's really important.

31:24.75

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

31:36.47

philjstreet

It's ah it's not difficult though. Is it. That's the the thing if you just think about the human element of all of this is that you know let's just yeah more than ever let's stay together. Let's you know, figure out a way to with the conditions that we have to. To be able to come together and still feel like we are a team and that we still belong together and all of these simple humanistic things.

31:59.83

Jason Adams

Yeah I think it actually made us all stronger I mean clearly I was I was new. You know when the first lockdown happened on the second day of lockdown I got a card a thank you car from the spa therapist to say my god you've walked into this, you're dealing with this now. You must have a nightmare job. And to have you know bottles of wineping stuff and thank you cards. It's just you don't get that normally and it's you know you then realize what sometimes a good job. You're actually doing until you step back and think about what's going on.

32:22.50

philjstreet

Yeah.

32:28.51

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely and I now know which photograph I'm going to request from you to go on the front cover of the podcast as well that pick but picture of santa.

32:36.10

Jason Adams

Ah, okay, oh yes I can give you that That's not one. Yeah, so so yes, the lockdown was were challenging but you know as we all know lockdown finished and we came out the other side an extraordinary.

32:41.98

philjstreet

Ah, um.

32:54.38

Jason Adams

Demand for the staycation market. Um, and we saw what did we do? We saw people who normally go to let's got one family in particular they would be 10 people. They normally go to the algar for their holiday with the family decided they can't go. They're not going to go. Instead of spending you know 10 grand going on holiday. They would come here and spend 10 grand here instead. They'd have like 5 or 6 rooms. Yeah, absolutely great. No problem taking on but we've got houses. We've got apartments. We got. We had got something for everybody and we had to evolve by thinking you know what can we do to look after these guests.

33:15.22

philjstreet

No okay then yeah.

33:30.74

Jason Adams

Our our stay overnight stay rate was one point two days before lockdown. It's now three point four so people are on site for longer we need to have more dining options more events more activities for them more more relationships with local attractions and we've done that very. Very well It's really worked and I think the people who have been here have spent well some of them not needed to leave sight because they've had dinner in 1 restaurant then another restaurant and then another restaurant we've had that we have room service to houses all that kind of stuff we've got birds of prey picnics. All the rain. So. There's lots of things they can do on site without leaving and.

33:55.77

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

34:06.87

Jason Adams

To say my my kind of commercial head. They don't need to go out square to spend money. They got. It's all here on the doorstep. So we've got four four hundred acres and we got spa. We got a golf. We've got everything so there's no need to leave.

34:10.82

philjstreet

Um, yeah. Yeah, but that's the beautiful thing about having a resort with such expansive land isn't it at the yeah and the key thing in here I think is giving people options is is giving them an excuse to stay in today. Um, and of course you want them to go out and.

34:24.92

Jason Adams

Um, yes, absolutely um.

34:33.40

philjstreet

See what the northeast has got to offer but you want them to come back and enjoy your hospitality.

34:36.82

Jason Adams

Yeah I think that's that's the key that you just said about you know, having options and yeah, when I arrived back in January Twenty Twenty if you can stay as a guest on a let's say Monday or Tuesday night the club house because it was golf orientated was shut in the evenings. And then the orange drews always closed Monday Tuesday oh you only had 1 restaurant if you can say the 5 staror which I thought was lunacy. So now. Um, we have 3 offerings and 3 de very different offerings. We've got the orangewood shark and a flagship restaurant. We've got the clubhouse which is our kind of golf for his stroke. You know.

34:55.28

philjstreet

Um, right.

35:01.82

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah.

35:14.23

Jason Adams

say I say burs and chip is more than that these nice salads and et etc. But then we've got luala which is a healthy option so there's something for everybody in 3 very different dining options and I think that's key making sure. There's some variety for our guests who are staying here or visiting us or even our members.

35:22.13

philjstreet

Yeah.

35:27.71

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah I mean I would quite happily eat fine dining every night but I think that does well I know that this becomes cumbersome after a certain amount of days. Um, we've all stayed in resort properties whereby at the end you're just craving beans on toast.

35:44.90

Jason Adams

Yes, absolutely um, agree completely. Absolutely.

35:47.35

philjstreet

Yeah, no, that's that's great. What I'd actually going back to the beginning of your story. Ah what I'd love about that is this concept of you sending out making a list of the places that you'd like to work for and sending out applications to them.

35:59.78

Jason Adams

Yeah.

36:04.54

philjstreet

And um, why I love that is because that really sings to me that' is pretty much exactly the same thing that I did at the beginning of my career with Cruise ships I had made up my mind I wanted to work on Cruise lines and um and it amaze amazes me and I don't know if you feel the same on this is that actually that's just you being. A little bit proactive about your career and the fact that where do I want to go and you've got an idea in your head as to what you want to be doing I don't know specifically where that's going to take me at this point but I do know that I'd like to go and learn or work for these companies and and I think a lot of people can take lessons from. Having that kind of proactivity when it comes to starting out in your career.

36:43.88

Jason Adams

Yeah I think you know the world's a very different place now as we all know but you know in those days I say those isn't loud but in that time of like the memoir. You know you work there because you had drive your passion you wide a career and everybody there with bar none was driven to get the best. Of you whether be the manager your you kind of you know, check to party next year whatever it may be but they were all working so hard to get the best and I think you know things have changed that sense and I don't only rude to our you know millennials. But my philosophy here now is because I've had to change the way I manage people is I want you to come to work. Do a good job and go home I whereas probably ten or fifteen years ago I said right you to push yourself. You need to I want you here I want you there I want you that time or you that time you can't do that anymore. You have to treat people with a bit more kid gloves as it were making sure that they get a good work life balance. Their wellbeing is is set.

37:32.11

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

37:42.56

Jason Adams

To to be able to work and have a good home life. We have support mechanisms here for various things whether it be the menopause whether it be mental health whether it be gambling whether it be alcohol. They're all here at Rock Cliff You want help a lot of people do want to help but a lot people won't say anything but we need to be ready for those team members to make sure that.

38:01.28

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

38:01.60

Jason Adams

They need help. We are here where fifteen twenty years ago it was get on with it push yourself and that's it. So yeah, exactly and things have changed much and you know I'm from that old school mindset if you want to call it that that I really want to push on and I still get frustrated now where things take too long and to get done. Um.

38:06.40

philjstreet

Yeah, why are you mourning? Let's let's go.

38:21.44

Jason Adams

But you know I don't go in their feet versus say right? So what can we do to help How can we do this. Let's let's let's work together on this instead of you know I couldn't say right? What the hell's going on get out my office you know, but you can't do you just can't so we've got to work with people and if you work with them. You're gonna get a lot more out of them instead of screaming and bulling at them.

38:30.10

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah.

38:38.53

philjstreet

Yeah, again, it's not. It's not difficult when you but break it down into to small blocks like that I mean at the end of the day if you have a situation whereby you need to move something forward and maybe it's not moving forward at the rate that you would like it if you lose your stuff.

38:39.44

Jason Adams

Simple as that.

38:52.84

Jason Adams

Who.

38:58.39

philjstreet

Again, there's that proverbial stuff again. Um then um, that's just good to me Anyway, that alienates people It's not going to help them get back to where you need them to get to and in order for everybody to come together and.

39:04.46

Jason Adams

Yeah, both happen.

39:13.70

philjstreet

To work through this issue that we need to get past or or move forward beyond.

39:15.12

Jason Adams

Yeah, it's interesting because one of the things I've kind of instilled here at rockliffe is that before I would have probably said as a gm before I said right? I want this done this this this we didn't worry about that here I get my ex exact team aroundy say look I as the Md would like to do this. I need you to buy into it so what can we do to change it tweak it to make sure it works for you. We're just in the process of actually changing our our our mission statement so I could have said right with Hr with marketing. Um, this is a new mission statement. But no I've got the senior team in I've included them I made it.

39:42.94

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

39:52.80

Jason Adams

Completely inclusive so they buy into it so they can't say there nothing to do with it I was just told this is how it is so they're all on board with it. They all understand it. They're all going to push it. They all understand why we're doing a mission statement and why they need to buy into it. So I think again that management style in myself has changed over those years where you know again, they'd say right? This is what's going on but we can't do that anymore. It's like need you on board and if we want you on board then we need you to be a part of the process.

40:13.70

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

40:20.24

philjstreet

Yeah, and and I suppose Ultimately, that's that comes down to evolution of leadership. Um I suppose and the fact that you know actually by doing that you you're getting the best out of your specialists Really your role.

40:26.23

Jason Adams

Yeah.

40:38.67

philjstreet

As the leader of all of the specialists is to get the specialist to step up and be as special as they can sorry that sounds really trite. But.

40:42.37

Jason Adams

Absolutely and it does but I think on on top of that you know. In fact, when I was in Jersey um, Malcolm Lewis owner of Longville Manor said to me one day and I still remember this is twenty years ago don't employ people. To do a job and then ask them to do to do it yourself. Um, you know you're employing professionals. Let them get on with it. Don't micromanage them. Let them do their job because that's what you paid them for they have experience in that area same with my team here I've got me a golf expert I've got spa expert got commercial expert.

40:59.53

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

41:08.66

philjstreet

Yeah.

41:16.75

Jason Adams

I've got our rooms next but I've got a head Carci edge. They all know exactly what they're doing all I need to do is put them on the right path to say there's the goal. What's the journey and that's it some. It's simple but it's not that simple but it that.

41:24.60

philjstreet

Yeah, yeah, no and did indeed. Ultimately we're we're talking about human beings and and you know at any given time your things can change in somebody's life and that that throws everything out you take 1 callg out of a wellworking machine and you've got to.

41:33.30

Jason Adams

Um, yeah. Um I was first.

41:44.41

philjstreet

Find a different cog and all of these things but that's what I suppose What makes it interesting and different if it was if it was easy every day it would be boring wouldn't it.

41:49.00

Jason Adams

Yeah I mean that's why I mean I was part. Yeah, um, absolutely and I think you know that's to say what? why I mean tarity know that no days the same. There's different challenges with there's some good days and bad days. But the bad days you just deal with it move on the next day that's how it is. You can't dwell on it. Um, one of my you know again, 1 of my management styles is you know? Yes, we have a bad day. We deal with it. We put it bed. We forget about it. We move on. We get positive. We can't carry on thinking about what will happen yesterday. Oh my god want a mess with a nightmare. You can't because everybody everybody's morale be on the floor so we just got to move on from it learn from it of course.

42:15.26

philjstreet

Yeah.

42:22.39

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely there is yeah there is only now that's the that's that's all saying that I just drop in cliches for fun now in and in this kind of I think everybody expects that at some point Phil will drop a cliche gold.

42:27.42

Jason Adams

And move on absolutely indeed.

42:41.97

philjstreet

Um, or maybe not gold. But anyway, um, yeah, Well I mean great The other things that other notes that I made were it seems like your journey has always like the move that you've made has always had a purpose. It's not because you have necessarily.. It's not ah well, it's not always been about the fact that you've just done your time in a place and it's time to move On. You've seen something in the next place that you're going that will add value to you in terms of what that brings to your skill set which you then have moved on into the next and so on and so forth and it seems like you're always certainly your your story.

43:07.70

Jason Adams

Oh.

43:19.36

philjstreet

Comes across as being that the places that you've been. You've always made better in whatever way they needed to be made better and then maybe time to to move on to the next project.

43:28.39

Jason Adams

Yeah, and I think you know for me I always learning as I mentioned earlier I think the important thing is here I Very carefully chosen each property not because you say oh it's time to move on I Very much to the fact that you know. Are people who get to a point in their careers where they they do need to move on because out their bored. They've done what they can achieve and that place with me is I know that each property I've been to it needed change. It needs to make a difference and I'm lucky enough and to be proud to say that I've made a massive difference to some of those properties.

43:57.55

philjstreet

Yeah.

43:59.85

Jason Adams

So for example, we can go back to the yard and you know arbomo not dirty thistle to what it was today whether it be the stud priories or whether it be the ligands financial status going forward even Fox Hills I mean Fox Hills was was okay, but it came out the other end after 5 years you know with. Increased membership increased revenues increase profit and it's not just looking at the revenues and the strategy it's looking at the cost base. How can we increase membership the same here you know it didn't make an awful lot of money here. Rock at the beginning but you know lock lockdown came it gave me time to look at the costs across the business. Come at the other side stacation markets booming. We're now making 4 times what we were making before and that's in 2 years but twelve months that's been closed. So I know there's more in the pop. Um, um, Mr. Gibson our owner he's very supportive. We've got lots of plans to rockliff the next 3 to 5 years So.

44:38.85

philjstreet

Well.

44:53.00

Jason Adams

You know there's lots on the market. Mr. Gibbsson known is middle of football club as well. So we have a relationship there. Um, we've kind of tried to get the Rocke brand out a lot more as well. So we've got the rock Cliffff Lounge at tside airport which is the business lounge. We've got the private jet terminal which is the rockcliffe lounge. Also we've got the rock Cliffff lounge.

45:06.89

philjstreet

Right.

45:12.10

Jason Adams

Riverside Football Club in middles for now which is our lo by our guests and I've just set up and ah, um, an agreement with Darlington Train station okay no salubrious destination. But it's a direct train to London they've got one hundred and three million pound investment going to that train station I think it was the first train station in the Uk. And we're going to take you over the first class language there as well. So we're just getting that name trickling out to the local area to start with and then we'll we'll move a bit wider but things are going in the right direction. That's the main thing.

45:39.33

philjstreet

Yeah I think that connection with community is a massive part of successful business in any form and that's not just within hospitality but especially within hospitality because you know that's you take in the hospitality mentality to your local.

45:56.20

Jason Adams

Yeah, ah I mean we've got we're in a village just may gos darling Darlington we do a lot of stuff in the village village itself. Believe not rather strangely we've um, worked with Herworth Bee society and we brought 15 of their beehives onto our site here.

45:57.20

philjstreet

Surroundings.

46:15.61

Jason Adams

Help them with yeah honey and bees and whatever else and try to make sure it's another feature around our property. So as much community work We can do as possible. You know, helps us dramatically within the within the local neighborhood.

46:17.81

philjstreet

Yeah.

46:28.20

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely and you know ultimately I have ah a big kind of be it be in my bonnet Sorry I didn't do that on purpose and around um ah that actually ah sometimes people have lost sight. What a good business should be and it's not just about your people Profit planet.

46:35.14

Jason Adams

Are.

46:46.29

Jason Adams

Oh.

46:48.18

philjstreet

That's a massive part of it but actually um, you know people who are doing business properly have such a wonderful opportunity to transform things for the good generally speaking and I think a lot of time if the focus has just been about profit then that that can get lost.

46:57.48

Jason Adams

Ah, yeah.

47:04.98

Jason Adams

Yeah I think my my team members um weren't as commercially as they they should have been. They are now because we're doing a lot more um, kind of team events talking about the commerciality of it. But for the team I find that their interest is really through social media Rocket hall.

47:05.77

philjstreet

So in the line.

47:22.69

Jason Adams

So they'll they'll Instagram us they'll you know tweet about it. They'll they'll do lots of things on social media with Facebook et cetera so that's where our interaction comes in. We do a lot on on social media with our team. We did a lockdown video. We've done various bit videos online and I think that's where they support us. In that way because it's on their level that sounds probably not sound sound but on the level that they're working to if they're younger, they're gonna be on their Facebook they're gonna be on snapchat and Twitter and over whatever else. So that's what they do. So if they can support us in that area that that really helps.

47:41.47

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

47:55.57

philjstreet

Yeah, it's snapchat is that that still a thing. Ah yeah.

47:59.11

Jason Adams

Yeah, to know Actually I said for no I said that. But yeah I've never used it then right to use it. But there you go.

48:06.12

philjstreet

No indeed for me to me too I've I've just just getting my head around Instagram to be honest, but there there we are I'm not even sure my head is around Instagram but so the changing face of social media. Um, yeah, the other thing I picked up from your your story is that f and b seems to play quite a large part.

48:11.75

Jason Adams

Now it's all bit too much in the and the.

48:25.24

philjstreet

Um, is that something that's happened just by accident in terms of the properties that you've gone to or is this something that you're actually just a little bit passionate about or both.

48:35.27

Jason Adams

hey're turning over some like: 250000

48:40.82

philjstreet

Yeah.

48:54.43

Jason Adams

By and the old restaurant director but clive fretwell Sue Williams else she's now at botley. Um, that said me a good stead and it was mostly for me then but as you as I went to my first gm role that was very much led by the hotel operation. So I could learn a bit more about that side. But I think. You know when I'm off duty I'll go to ah a nice restaurant and sadly like you probably you're picking everything about the night is the knife straight is that is a dby x straight. What's the way to're saying but that's just our life. We are literally concentrated on hospitality every zoo in our sleep seven days a week

49:21.78

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

49:32.45

Jason Adams

And that's just what we do and you know if we go to restaurant. We'll make sure that you know we try and switch up which is impossible but certainly f and b is where I like things but over the years again I've had to grow and learn the room side the commercial side the strategic side and then spa and golf on top of that. So it's. Probably a majority of my management mind but it's not all of it I think I've just been lucky and in some senses but as my parents would say you're not lucky you make your own luck.

49:55.21

philjstreet

Yep.

50:00.44

philjstreet

Oh gp my parents said exactly the same thing to me. Um, yeah, it's um, the parents have got a lot to answer for aren't they um, but no I think that's you're absolutely right I do I've trained myself over the years when it comes to being out and about an f and b.

50:03.65

Jason Adams

Ah, yes, indeed. Yes.

50:19.78

philjstreet

To hold it in now and not be that guy at the table going up but look at the way that they're doing that or or whatever and if it if it if it's ah, a service issue or a food issue or whatever that that irks me or irritates me at the time then I ah definitely am not 1 of these people.

50:23.76

Jason Adams

Yeah, ah.

50:38.49

philjstreet

Go about dealing with that in a very different way now I'll um, happily do that kind of away from the restaurant after not expecting money off or in andlet lesson list. Things are absolutely horrendous. But you know is to give them a chance to fix it. So.

50:44.24

Jason Adams

Yeah. Ah, yeah, yeah.

50:55.66

philjstreet

And I would say this to anybody who's listened out slate. Don't if you've had a bad experience. Don't just go on Tripadvisor and tell the world go to the place first and explain why you didn't think it. It made the cut and give them an opportunity to fix things.

51:09.70

Jason Adams

Yeah I think you know you know yourself I'm sure that you know since lockdown hospitalile has been barred and punched and beaten and we reopen and then the first thing you get is a you know one out 5 trip view. Luckily I've not had them but you know the poor bloody restaurants who are.

51:16.38

philjstreet

Yeah.

51:26.73

Jason Adams

Getting these reviews because they made 1 mistake without speaking the manager on the day or the waitress they just left paid and think oh that wasn't good enough so to put review on how I get it and Tripadvisor we can talk a retrovis all day I'm sure. But yeah, they don't help the ass either.

51:27.30

philjstreet

Yeah.

51:33.86

philjstreet

No I know I know.

51:43.18

Jason Adams

Because you know when ah when there's a false review on there. It's the wrong restaurant the wrong person they say no it match our guidelines when to keep on. Well, it's not factual and you can't read but ah a druggatory review on a reply because they weren't allowed to do that either so trip Providers got a lot to answer for but's and that's another story from another the day another podcast.

51:49.99

philjstreet

Yeah.

51:59.54

philjstreet

Yeah, no one did do we need to edit that out. No I But you're right I mean that what's the point in and having a public forum for people to air their opinions and then not police it properly because it's just a license for false hoods and.

52:02.54

Jason Adams

Maybe she? yeah.

52:17.62

Jason Adams

Par says. Absolutely yeah.

52:19.39

philjstreet

You know misinformation and all sorts of stuff. Um, but anyway that's that's neither here nor there let's move into matters of fun and um I ask everybody who comes on the show I Hope you're ready um, have you got any funny stories from your career that you can share with us.

52:26.94

Jason Adams

Oh.

52:36.33

Jason Adams

Yes, I have actually there's one actually um when I was a awake to at lemanmoir funny enough and sue will remember this who will remember this very well I was on room service. Got a call from a room list of food drink sent up. So I go up with the tray. And um, knock on the door I remember the room name Gallic Arose knock on the door. No answer show room serious good morning, good evening. No answer could hear a bit of auff cuffuffle in the room I didn't know what it was at the time and knocked again. Said rooms are is a bit louder and then use my keys go in the couple were in bed making love which is fine. No problem as a waiter you do your hospitable thing and turn your eye away set the table up but on this occasion and they're making love and said yet put it there and they carried on.

53:21.78

philjstreet

How happens.

53:32.52

philjstreet

My goodness but they must have been enjoying that.

53:34.30

Jason Adams

Literally carried on. Yes, why? So those we trying to be as professional as possible putting the the tableclo on the table laying the table up and they even asked them if they went the table down. Yeah yeah, lay the table up and literally just carried on all the way through I must be in the room 2 or 3 minutes and they were just carrying on I mean we're not talking a bit petting. We're talking full on making love. So that's fine inex. Yeah, so that is kind of stayed in my mind for many many years and is.

54:00.43

philjstreet

Goodness connection, connection connection and multiple places. Yes I could understand you probably needed therapy after that.

54:10.72

Jason Adams

Yeah, so I do have a chuck now and again about it. But yeah, that's kind of stuck in my mind. There's a couple of others but that they're probably a bit too. Be scary to mention.

54:17.58

philjstreet

Yes I think that speak to anybody who's works in the rooms based business and I doubt that anyone no one would be able to to avoid the fact that they've probably all seen someone naked in a room somewhere or somewhere else in a hotel I um remember being night manager on a ship and.

54:31.98

Jason Adams

Yeah, yes.

54:36.62

philjstreet

Getting so many calls of people who were drunk and they've obviously just gone out the wrong door looking for the toilet. Um, and um, yeah, get a call as a naked man wandering around at Deck Eleven Okay I'll be right there and you know they're they're perfectly lovely and all that and um.

54:41.79

Jason Adams

By ah.

54:55.53

philjstreet

You know so you just have to go armed with a few towels just to help them get get back to? yeah but yeah, very good. That's that's that's the first I think we had we had Mitch Corier once on who's Ex Lemanir actually now in the town house.

54:56.69

Jason Adams

Yes, I was like and definitely.

55:03.10

Jason Adams

Yeah, Somem jiha.

55:09.41

Jason Adams

Right.

55:14.41

philjstreet

Tell I think in Mayfa anyway, um, and he talked about the fact that he got cold to noise that sounded like a screaming dog in a room and it wasn't as he puts it. It wasn't a dog. It was 2 people expressing their love for each other and but there we are yes.

55:15.90

Jason Adams

Breath.

55:29.45

Jason Adams

A.

55:33.77

philjstreet

Ah, the fun games that go on in hospitality. Um, before you go a final question really is is what would be your your top 3 reasons why somebody should join hospitality if we haven't already covered it.

55:34.65

Jason Adams

And days four. Um.

55:47.55

Jason Adams

Well, um I think 3 so there's no there's no same day. Absolutely not You're never gonna get bored hospitality. That's the first thing your your career could take you anywhere in the world wherever you choose. Reward is your east for the moment purely because you know people are desperate for staff all over the world in whatever country whether a city you can work anywhere. You wish you've have a little bit experience. No even no experience at all. They'll train you now. So you know you can go anywhere in the road just like you've done on the cruise ships like I've done I've been around the country in the channel islands doing what I want. Do best and I think the third thing is there are lots of perks in hospitality. You can go say lovely hotels on you know, preferred hotelier rate or see friends at restaurants or that kind of thing and you can try these things and get ideas and and bring those ideas back to your own business and I think you know. Hospital is very underrated and we we don't as you know we don't have the best reputation but I don't know why sometimes it's a beautiful occasion to be a part of yes sometimes the pay is not great in certain jobs but not just like me. It's like you you have to start at the bottom start being a kp or like I did or a night porch or when it I be.

56:47.72

philjstreet

No I agree.

57:02.67

Jason Adams

You have to start at the bottom to learn the whole aspect of hostility and I'm doing this now with a couple of the team members here who are young who want to learn but want to be managers now. So I've tried to kind of wait a minute a bit say look This is what we need to do first and once we get to that point then you can start thinking about management because clearly.

57:11.67

philjstreet

Yeah.

57:21.25

Jason Adams

You need to learn about the the basics first whether it be health health and safety whether it be wellbeing whether it be um, sops whether whatever it may be they need to understand because I don't want leaving here going somewhere else and failing and that's the trick. So I want to make sure just like I did to Kristen.

57:31.86

philjstreet

Um, yeah.

57:37.51

Jason Adams

And the belfry and I mentioned earlier making sure they're grounded. They understand they're learning and then then when they're ready to leave. They're off. They go to the next best place and I think that that's the best advice I can give.

57:44.21

philjstreet

Yeah, well I mean it comes back to the there is only now kind of mentality I mean focus on your performance in the moment and everything else will take care of itself down the line you know and if if you've got a a great attitude to your work.

57:53.35

Jason Adams

Yeah.

58:03.29

philjstreet

And that you you get on with people and that you like to raise people up rather than take them down then you know your success will come for you? Absolutely no question. Um, and that the the hold I've talked talked about the low pay thing before is definitely. It's the same in any sector.

58:07.70

Jason Adams

From the yeah.

58:12.98

Jason Adams

Yeah, what time? Definitely yeah.

58:23.70

philjstreet

Um, you know doesn't matter Really how qualified you are or or whatever maybe and but the exception of you know, highly skilled um trades like medicine and things like that where you need to put in the the time and academia. Um, but you know most other sectors. Yeah, where there's ah no.

58:35.20

Jason Adams

Yeah, ah.

58:42.91

philjstreet

Barrier to entry as such. You can expect that the pay at the beginning won't be groundbreaking but once you work past that you know the world's your oyster.

58:51.87

Jason Adams

Yeah, and there there are massive financial rewards but for for achieving great things to yeah, good.

58:57.70

philjstreet

Yeah, absolutely fabulous. That strikes me as ah, a wonderfully positive way to wrap things up before we go if people want to to get a hold of you to learn more about Rockliffe hole or yourself and your career. What's the best method for them to do that.

59:12.25

Jason Adams

Want they can email me http://jason.adams at http://rockctiful.com

59:18.29

philjstreet

Fabulous and he's very receptive by the way. He's always I think I've had not so many liaisons with you over the years but every time that we have you've always been quick to come back to me and and I massively appreciate that fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing your story Jason take care. Cheers bye bye.

59:34.37

Jason Adams

Thank for all best. Thank you