A Fort Augustus-based hotelier has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 30 emerging young talents in the hospitality industry.
Caroline Gregory, 28, Managing Partner at the 29-bedroom Lovat Arms, Loch Ness was one of 30 under-30s hand-picked by trade publication Caterer and Hotelkeeper and sponsor, Unilever Foodsolutions, as a rising star of tomorrow, and rewarded with an Acorn Award 2008.
The Acorn Awards, now in their 22nd year, recognise young people – from chefs and general managers to those in customer relations and revenue, in restaurants, hotels, pubs and contract catering from across the UK - who have shown great commitment and ability in the industry, and evidence of the qualities to make an impact in the future.
Previous nominations have included celebrity chefs Gary Rhodes, Michael Caines, Marcus Wareing and Marco Pierre White, and James Horler, founder of La Tasca restaurants.
Simon Marshall, Managing Director of Unilever Foodsolutions said: “Each winner has excelled in his or her chosen field and demonstrated how ability, with an industrious and determined approach, regardless of age, can deliver great results. I had the opportunity to spend time with each of the winners and I can honestly say that every one of them is worthy of this award.”
Caroline grew up in the hospitality industry; her parents have owned and run hotels for 30 years including the Kinlochbervie Hotel in Sutherland and The Torridon in Wester Ross. She was delighted to receive the award and said that running her own business has been exciting and challenging -something she had always set her sights on. “It’s been a lot of hard work as the hotel required a complete refurbishment when we bought it three years ago. We have built the business from scratch, putting procedures in place along with a strong environmental ethic,” Caroline commented.
“I’m pleased the judges considered my achievements so far, of merit, but it doesn’t stop here – there’s plenty more I’d like to implement at the hotel which will hopefully exceed our customers’ expectations and allow us to play a leading quality role in the hospitality industry in the Highlands.”
Following a Law & Business Management degree at Glasgow University and a gap year travelling, Caroline’s ‘get up and go’ personality saw her move to London to work for the Institute of Directors as an events manager, and later a family-run business specialising in catering and event management. She built up an impressive portfolio of skills, managing projects including conferences, film premier parties, press and product launches as well as weddings, each ranging from 10 to 500 people.
She returned to Scotland in 2005 to open the Lovat Arms in Fort Augustus, a Victorian hotel with “an abundance of character”. The refurbishment saw complete re-wiring and central heating throughout, a new fire escape, windows re-sashed, and the kitchen, bar and all 29 rooms completely refitted.
The old boiler was replaced with a state-of-the art eco-friendly automatic wood chip burner providing the hot water and central heating for the entire building, along with a personalised computer program to control the temperatures.
Caroline oversees every aspect of the hotel’s operation from managing her 16 members of staff, to recruitment, payroll, menu planning, entering awards, website design and events. “I prefer to work for myself rather than for other people,” she said. She is also actively involved with the hospitality scene in Scotland and holds the position of voluntary director at the tourism initiative, Right Direction. In the future she would like to run an events company that has a venue to promote young talent as well as incorporating a boutique hotel into the overall operation.
