Behind the scenes of The Grand, Brighton with Concierge Dave Clarke
At your service
Welcome to A Grand Place to Work. The £5 million revamp of the iconic Grand Hotel, Brighton, on the seafront is nearly finished, and we find out what the refurbishment means to the staff at the Grand, as well as the people of Brighton.
This week, Latest 7 hears from Concierge Dave Clarke.
“I used to be a mixologist at The Victoria Bar, but The Grand felt that in light of the refurbishment there was a call for an increased concierge team and I jumped at the chance to be involved, as I love customer service. Everyone knows that The Grand always goes that extra mile. We are constantly striving to go the extra inch too, as it is the little everyday touches that really do mean a lot to our guests.
“My day starts when I put on my uniform, I wear the traditional concierge attire: black shoes (which are impeccably polished), tailored black trousers with a satin ribbon trim along the sides. The shirts are white, with a navy and silver tie and a waistcoat. I always leave the bottom button undone on my waistcoat; apparently that was started in the 1800’s by King Edward VII. The story goes that he forgot to do the last button up once by accident when dressing, but it was copied and became fashionable and is still tradition today. Only Colin – the Head Doorman – wears a top hat though.
“We want to offer bespoke service for every customer, and that’s a large part of my job. I always try to remember that whoever I greet at the front door may have perhaps been stuck in traffic for hours, or have been looking forward to this day for months. It’s the personal touches like finding out what time people check in and making sure I know their names when they arrive, or taking heavy bags off a mum so she can get her kids out of the car. Our valet parking service is always greatly appreciated too! I try to anticipate what the guests will need before they even know it themselves! We’re lucky that we have many loyal customers who visit time and time again, so it’s easy to build up a really good relationship with guests.
“As part of the concierge team, we help and run errands for guests and hotel visitors, but it is also our job to advise and recommend on what to do and see in Brighton, although due to the refurbishment and the opening of GB1 (the new seafood restaurant in the hotel) when it comes to recommending a great place to have cocktails or a fantastic restaurant, there really is little need to look any further.
“The recent refurbishment means that the hotel has been renovated to such a high standard, it makes us extremely proud to be part of The Grand team. It really is an honour to work in such an opulent and iconic hotel, but I would say that we aren’t intimidating, everyone feels welcome here.
“My favourite memory of working here is when a wedding party stayed. I had just come off duty and the bridesmaids were waiting outside the hotel in their heels and their dresses for a taxi, which hadn’t showed up. They were very upset and worried they would miss the ceremony, so I put them all in the back of my car and drove as fast as I could to the church in Hove, getting them there just in time. I may have gone through a few amber lights… Needless to say the bride and groom were delighted, as was The Grand!
The Grand, 97–99 King’s Road,
Brighton, BN1 2FW, 01273 224300
www.devere-hotels.co.uk/
thegrand
