INTERVIEW: Stuart Bailey, CEO, Splendid Hospitality Group
The Splendid Hospitality Group is one of the UK’s fastest growing privately-owned hotel groups. It’s portfolio covers a full range of hotel styles from limited service to luxury, including the Conrad London St. James and the Hilton London Bankside. Greenway Associates were appointed as Quantity Surveyor on Hilton London Bankside.
On a project like Hilton Bankside, how important is clear, succinct and well summarised advice?
“Getting the right team with the right advice was of paramount importance to the Hilton Bankside project. We had come out of a development in Westminster that hurt us a little bit. As a company we had lost brand. Cashflow wasn’t good and our relationships with contractors had been damaged. So getting right team for the Hilton Bankside was the single most important part of this whole development. And we did get it right.”
How do you maintain a sympathetic bank?
“Banks don’t like surprises, they can’t handle curveballs. So clear reporting between the client and bank takes away those surprises and gives a bank the measure of comfort it needs. When a QS report is consistent and reliable, it can help to strengthen the human relationship between the client and the bank, which is where the magic is. A good QS report adds huge value to the relationship between the client and bank.”
What are some of the nerve shredding moments a developer faces in the last few weeks prior to opening? Were there any?
“A wise man once told me, “the end of the project is never like you think it’s going to be. Looking back, I now understand the full effect of how everything stacks up in last four months of a development. The pressure between trades, between client and design team, between client and bank, is at its greatest and it starts to show. Ultimately it affects morale and money.
Finishing is a discipline in itself, so plan your ending at the very beginning.”
Is it a successful new addition to the Hilton profile?
“Going through the development stages can be challenging and frustrating at times. But the satisfaction is realised when you can turn that development into a profitable business. We broke even in February this year and started making profit in March – four months after launching.”