Seven hospitality businesses make Sunday Times 100 Best Companies 2016 list

29-Feb-2016 - Last updated on 26-Apr-2021 at 19:43 GMT

Jonathan Raggett, managing director of Red Carnation Hotels whose company figured third on the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For

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Seven hospitality businesses, including Red Carnation Hotels, Hawksmoor and The Breakfast Club have made it onto the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For list.

UK-based Red Carnation Hotels, which employs 887 staff across 17 hotels in London, Dorset, Guernsey, Ireland, Geneva, South Africa and Florida, dropped a place on last year, but remained the highest hospitality business on the list, now in its 16th year.

Red Carnation Hotels managing director Jonathan Raggett said: “We believe that our service proposition is what sets us apart, and our highly skilled teams who deliver on our promise of 'No request too large, no detail too small' every single day. Keeping our staff happy, giving them a clear vision of the company’s values, and making them feel part of something is pivotal to the success of our business.

“Red Carnation Hotels is a family-owned business, and staff are treated as part of the family too. This culture comes directly from the top, and our leader, Mrs. Tollman, prioritises staff wellbeing as highly as that of our guests. A big thank you and congratulations to her and our entire team, all of whom work so hard; I am very proud of each and every one of them.”

Restaurant company Hawksmoor Group, which employs 653 people at its Hawksmoor and Foxlow restaurants, took 15th place on the list, a drop of three places from last year while Oakman Inns (42), Wyboston Lakes (43) and Revolution Bars Group (71) also returned to the list this year.

Newcomers

All-day cafe chain The Breakfast Club was a newcomer on this year's 100 Best Companies list - entering at number 69 - as was London hotel Lancaster London, following closely at number 72.

Lancaster London general manager Sally Beck, whose hotel has introduced a range of initiatives to create an inclusive mentality; a positive approach to work-life balance and a no-blame culture, said: “It is an incredible feeling to be awarded a place in the Top 100 and to see that all of our hard work has paid off. Ultimately, the most important thing is that our colleagues are happy and this demonstrates that.”

The Sunday Times gathers together information from surveys completed by staff at all companies who register to take part before compiling its lists.

Other lists include 100 Best Small Companies, for SMEs with between 50 and 250 employees and 25 Best Big Companies, for those employing more than 3,000 people.

Three hospitality companies - Bourne Leisure (4), McDonald's Restaurants (8) and Marriott Hotels International (9) - were included on the list of the 25 Best Big Companies while just one - Brooklands Hotel in Weybridge, Surrey made it onto the 100 Best Small Companies list.