It isn't often I use the word 'I', because when working in Hospitality it's usually always about 'We' ...
Today however, I can make an exception ...
It was a beautiful morning back on 31st October 1992. I rode a black BMW K1100RT over The Forth Bridge, and into The Kingdom of Fife. Approximately 22 minutes later, I rode into Balbirnie’s Courtyard! Balbirnie's new general manager had arrived. I was 25 years old.
I was met in the courtyard that day by hotel porter Michael Costello, former station master of Markinch train station, a most kind and gentlemanly guy.
Michael said, ‘Sir, I welcome you to Balbirnie!’
To which I replied, ‘Michael, please don’t ever call me Sir again, my name is Nicholas’.
And that’s how we started!
As you can see from this original 1990's press image, I have hardly changed in 25 years.
And I still feel literally, like I am 25 years old.
Like Balbirnie House, we are only ever as old as we think we are!
Original postcards:
Starting at Balbirnie October 1992, we had 55 in the brigade.
Within 2 weeks, the number was down to 35.
And then we started building.
Month on month, and for years to come, we steadily increased turnover.
1994 saw Balbirnie receive:
Scotland on Sunday 'Word of Mouth' National Restaurant of the Year
1996 saw Balbirnie receive:
Macallan / Taste of Scotland Hotel of the Year, for Scotland.
I have so many memories across the span of my first 500 Saturday nights working taking guest dinner orders. Those dynamics shifted as a necessity however, when we added our Millennium Ballroom in 1999, as I quickly realised the brigade size was doubling, and I needed to align and deploy my own resources into the aspect of meeting new clients. That aspect was to become the loveliest part of the working week, which remains the case today.
I remember looking at the management accounts before I started in 1992, and thinking 'if I can achieve £900,000 through the tills, we'll probably be fine'.
Within 9 years we were heading £3,600,000 - in that process creating the continuing ability to prioritise and reinvest back into the Grade A Listed National Treasure. That challenge remains no easier today.
In 1992 we had 1 typewriter, and 1 PC. And no mobile phones or email!
Issuing 2,500 hard copies of a newsletter, was a very significant task.
Today, we have 12 workstations behind-the-scenes, and multiple tablet devices.
And ability to speak directly with 25,000 individuals via an ongoing organically-accumulated social media.
2000's press image via Lifetime Photography:
A quarter century of serving the communities (a) working inside Balbirnie House, and (b) through local community, I can certainly say ‘it really has been the honour of a lifetime’.
2014. Scottish Hotel Awards, awarded 'The Fellowship'.
Out-of-the-blue, as you can probably tell from my expression of combined pride and absolute astonishment!
Fast forward. The happiest hotel manager in Scotland. After years and years of pushing and always doing our absolute best to progress, the brigade has just won the award for '2016 National Hotel of the Year'.
(That day had started at 6am. I participated in the Etape Inverness bike ride, then straight back to Balbirnie, and on to the magic bus heading to Scotland's annual hotel Oscars.) Photo taken on the dance floor circa midnight. Without being aided by any Red Bull.
So here we are today. 31st October 2017. 25 years onwards from a beginning.
It all kind of makes me wonder what we'll all be doing in another 25 years time. What changes will Hospitality see in the years to come? For sure, continued change, and always seeking to adapt to the future, is an absolute necessity for survival.
Back at my desk this morning, albeit with 3 incredible new Haute Grandeur global awards, collected last week in Thailand. 'Europe's Best Destination Wedding Hotel' is open for business.
So, what's next today? Well, preparing for our usual 'last Tuesday of the month' meetings today, 12 noon - 4pm - and simply thinking as always that we must all pull together and work cleverly to do all we can to ensure the next quarter century brings continued success.
Over all these years, I've had the opportunity to work alongside many individuals who have been amazing in Hospitality. Many of Balbirnie's brigade have gone on to achieve great success elsewhere, that's always great to see. Countless couples have also met working at Balbirnie, and even begun married life here at Balbirnie, as we say - an accumulating History of Memories Made of This.
When employing the sons and daughters of 17 and 18 year olds who I myself employed 25 years ago? Well, that's quite something!
It's fair to say that the brigade's previous success and all that has been achieved at Balbirnie, has been driven by one main thing - hard work. Onwards we go, the future is always there to be created.
These signs are on all of our outgoing service doors:
All best wishes,
Nicholas Russell / hotel manager/ Balbirnie House (1992 – 2017)
And a very special thanks to all who I have served beside, as company directors. My father, the late Alan Russell. My mother Elizabeth, sister Rosemary, brother-in-law Wolfgang, and my very lovely wife Gaynor. 25 years gone past, in a blur of organised chaos
