Throng

the hotel inspector
key west revisit (9/10)

Renowned hotelier, restaurateur and author Ruth Watson continues her mission to reverse Britain’s reputation for poorly run hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs. In tonight’s instalment, Ruth returns to the Key West in Newquay, Cornwall, to find out if its owners have taken her advice on board and turned their fortunes around.

When Ruth first visited the Key West hotel, she declared that “the whole thing sounds like a bit of a disaster.” Owners Brian and Gill Scott had decided to retire to Newquay to live out their twilight years running a small hotel together. “We decided to throw caution to the wind and start our life anew,” said Gill. But they soon discovered that running a hotel was no easy task and found themselves overrun with rowdy stag and hen groups and coach parties – none of which brought in much revenue. Brian and Gill ran into financial trouble and admitted that they had made “huge mistakes”, leaving them with no spare cash to do up a hotel that Ruth described as “so tired”.

With money tight, overhauling the entire hotel was not an option. Ruth decided that the best plan was to bring in her team to refurbish the dowdy public areas, including the dated lounge and shabby reception; reorganise the shambolic storage areas to increase the hotel’s efficiency; and give the worst of the bedrooms a facelift. This would bring the place up to a higher standard, meaning that the Scotts could apply for an official rating – which would mean that they could raise their rates and then make the hotel more attractive to potential buyers.

Brian and Gill seemed invigorated by Ruth’s suggestions, but in the meantime had to contend with more stag and hen parties barrelling through. Brian’s worrying stress levels were not eased by more late nights spent letting guests back into the hotel, and cleaning up the next day was always particularly unpleasant. “It’s all good fun,” said Gill hollowly, faced with yet another clean ashtray next to a mug full of cigarette butts.

However, when Ruth returned a few weeks later she found a welcoming reception area, a revamped dining room and lounge with a fresh seaside theme, and new, efficient storage solutions. A local estate agent proclaimed that the value of the property would have increased, and the hotel was awarded two precious stars. With the summer coming, Brian and Gill could now ditch the stags and hens, raise their rates and attract a more desirable clientele – and an increased turnover made the hotel more attractive to potential buyers.

One year later, Ruth returns to find that a lot has changed for the Scotts. They have indeed sold up and have got themselves out of the hotel business for good. “That’s a day I’ll remember all my life,” smiles Brian as he recalls the moment the keys were handed over. However, the pressure had taken its toll and it took Brian a few months to get used to the fact that he had now left the stress behind him.

Ruth catches up with the couple in Portland, Dorset, to find out how they are getting on with their new, slower-paced life. She is glad to observe that they appear to have had a “massive weight” taken off their shoulders. The hotel, meanwhile, has had a name change and its new owners report that it is doing well. “To anybody who is meeting Ruth in the future, listen to what she has to say,” advises Brian. “She does talk sense... You ignore her advice at your peril –and that’s a fact.”