Today’s news in brief – 21/09/23

Heartwood Collection, supported by Alchemy Partners, is expanding its Heartwood Inns brand with the acquisition of two new freehold pubs. The Plough and Harrow in Long Ditton, South West London, and The Crown in Lichfield will join the group, with extensive refurbishments planned. The Plough and Harrow will have 139 internal dining seats and a landscaped garden with 100 dining seats, while The Crown will feature a relaxed bar area, dining spaces, a garden room, and a courtyard for year-round dining. This expansion comes after Heartwood Inns recently acquired its first pub with rooms, The White Horse in Dorking, Surrey, and opened the Black Swan in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire. The Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London has undergone a £5m refurbishment, adding new rooms, meeting spaces, and restaurants, South West 7 and Korean Grill Kensington. The hotel now boasts 611 rooms, an authentic French dining experience, and a traditional Korean BBQ cuisine restaurant. Millennium Hotels and Resorts owns over 135 hotels worldwide, offering a total of more than 39,000 rooms. BGAM Hospitality has launched BGAM Hotel Management, a division focused on delivering results for hotel owners with agility and accountability. The company, which also operates BGAM Asset Management, owns and operates six hotels and plans to grow its portfolio in the next year. BGAM emphasises an entrepreneurial approach and collaboration through its "Council of Talent" model, which brings together working groups from various areas of the business to tackle challenges and projects. The North East Hotels Association (NEHA) will hold its ball at the Federation Brewery, with membership numbers increasing over the past year. NEHA represents 64 prominent hotels in the region and serves as their collective voice, advocating for change and addressing common industry challenges. The annual Excellence Awards, held during the ball, celebrate outstanding contributors in the hospitality industry across 10 categories. The event expects up to 500 attendees, offering a three-course dinner and live music. NEHA aims to encourage individuals to pursue careers in the hospitality and tourism industries, which significantly contribute to the regional economy with over 5,350 bedrooms and £78m in expenditure on goods and services. Hotel revenue alone exceeds £205m, contributing to an estimated economic footprint of £632m.