Accor UK makes significant progress in 2013

150 150 Daniel Fountain
  • 0

Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is delighted to report on the progress made across the business in the UK and Ireland in 2013, including network development, HR initiatives and sustainability strategy. Network development

The Group’s strong portfolio of brands has continued to gain traction across the UK. Most recently ibis was ranked as one of Britain’s top three budget hotel brands, while Mercure saw the largest increase in prompted brand awareness according to the BDRC guest survey.

In 2013 Accor has so far opened:
• Ibis Styles, London Excel (07.01.2013)
• Mercure, Milton Keynes (22.01.2013)
• Ibis Styles, Blackpool (26.03.2013)
• Adagio, Liverpool Central Village (26.03.2013)
• Ibis, Brighton (15.07.2013)
• Ibis Styles, Birmingham (16.09.2013)

In September, Accor was pleased to announce the signing of the Novotel London Brentford. The hotel will be operated under an agreement with Brentford Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of the Pedersen Group, and is due to open in 2015, the same year as the new-build Novotel in Canary Wharf.

The Group continues to have a healthy UK development pipeline, and there are a number of new hotel openings on the horizon, including Belfast; Ibis Styles, Enfield; Ibis Styles, Liverpool; Ibis Styles Edinburgh, two Ibis hotels also in the city and ibis Cambridge.

HR initiatives

Accor is committed to investing in new talent and developing careers across the business, and in June, the group was recognised by The Great Place To Work® Institute as one of the UK’s best workplaces.

The Accor Academie in London is a first-of-its-kind professional training centre offering exceptional teaching facilities to ensure staff development and career progression. So far this year, the facility has trained more than 2000 delegates through 161 courses.

In March, Accor was pleased to announce the expansion of its popular UK Apprenticeship scheme, which provides young people aged 18 to 24 with on-the-job training and a national qualification. The group has also recently re-launched its successful Hospitality Futures programme in conjunction with Springboard. This programme helps those who are unemployed find placements in the hospitality industry with the long-term view of securing them a permanent job.

Sustainability

Accor is dedicated to operating a responsible and environmentally conscious business. We are delighted to have been named the Eco Hotel Group of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards 2013. This accolade reflects the success of Planet 21, Accor’s sustainable development strategy which defines 21 commitments and ambitious goals, including a program to inform guests and employees and encourage them to contribute to reinventing hotels, sustainably. In May 2013, Accor launched its agro-forestry partnership with Pur Project to mark the first anniversary of Planet 21. This Plant for the Planet program will fund 200,000 trees in the United Kingdom in a pioneering project designed to promote sustainable food production and nurture links between hotels, guests and farms.

Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director, Accor UK & Ireland said: “The progress we have made this year has been very encouraging, and the recognition we have received from the AA and BDRC, amongst others, reflects the on-going success of a number of initiatives across the business. We continue to open hotels in key locations, strengthening our network across the UK and Ireland, and we are committed to investing in our employees and their development. Through our sustainability programme, we are proud to focus our efforts on protecting the planet, its people and the environment. I am confident that this success will continue into 2014 and beyond.”

Daniel Fountain / 01.11.2013

Editor, Hotel Designs

Share

  • 0

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.