New Continental Hotel, Millbay Road, Plymouth, PL1 3LD

Tel: 01752 276798

Christmas in Plymouth 2021

Christmas always seems to arrive way too quickly, and usually by the time we have even thought of what we would like to do it has already passed. However, this year there are so many amazing events going on around Plymouth that we simply wouldnโ€™t want you (or us) to miss out on. To make sure this year is different, we have put the best of Christmas in Plymouth in one place!

๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ž โ€“ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ–๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ

Head over to Royal William Yard for their magical light art and immersive digital installations. There will be incredible light art, immersive experiences and a host of workshops for people to participate in. Book your tickets here.

๐‚๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ ๐‹๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐’๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐œ๐ก-๐จ๐ง โ€“ ๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ–๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ

Kick off your Christmas Calendar this year in the city with the big Christmas Lights being Switched on. Family-friendly entertainment, light display, performances and so much more.

๐‚๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ ๐š๐ญ ๐’๐š๐ฅ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ฆ โ€“ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Ÿ‘๐ซ๐ ๐‰๐š๐ง๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ

Explore the well-loved story of the Nutcracker with your friends and family this year as it is bought to life within the house. Spectacular rooms including one transformation into a magical fairytale forest and a family trail around the gardens. Donโ€™t forget your warm clothing and bobble hats for this one!

๐๐š๐ซ๐›๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง ๐‹๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐’๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐œ๐ก-๐จ๐ง โ€“ ๐’๐š๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ•๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ

Fill your day with Christmas magic down on the Barbican with all day childrenโ€™s activities, stage performances and the opening of the Christmas trail. There will also be a Christmas parade, plenty of shopping, a jam packed day of festivities and a Best Dressed Window Display competition between the businesses. Eat, Drink and fill up on festive treats!

๐‚๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ ๐š๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐จ๐ฑ

Enjoy โ€˜Breakfast with Santaโ€™ in the Box Kitchen and Bar if you have little ones who likes eating out and canโ€™t wait to meet Santa. He is excited to meet you all and will be on hand to greet you as you arrive. Santa will be available for breakfast every Saturday and Sunday from ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ•๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ญ๐ก ๐ƒ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ. From 6pm on Sunday ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ญ๐ก ๐ƒ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ, you can explore the galleries out of hours and then wave Santa off before he returns to the North Pole. Book your tickets here.

๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐‚๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ ๐Œ๐š๐ซ๐ค๐ž๐ญ โ€“ ๐Ÿ๐ง๐ ๐ƒ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ญ๐ก ๐ƒ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ

Soak up all the festive feelings at this yearโ€™s Christmas Market with an open-air festive bar, food and drink, lots of artisan gift stalls, live music and entertainment. Located in the heart of Plymouth City Centre only a short walk away from many other attractions.

๐…๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐†๐จ๐จ๐ ๐…๐จ๐จ๐ & ๐‚๐ซ๐š๐Ÿ๐ญ ๐Œ๐š๐ซ๐ค๐ž๐ญ โ€“ ๐Ÿ“๐ญ๐ก, ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ก ๐š๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ญ๐ก ๐ƒ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ

Held in the Melville building at the of Royal William Yard; this market is back and features a selection of the regionโ€™s most exciting independent artisan traders. Go and visit this incredible market for a wide range of locally sourced goods and handcrafted gifts.

๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐œ๐ž ๐‘๐ข๐ง๐ค

Hurry down and get your skates on at the Ice Rink! All ages and abilities welcome and it is great fun for all of the family. Book your tickets here.

There is something for everyone in Plymouth this festive season and we wait to hear what you are excited about. If you arenโ€™t currently planning on visiting Plymouth this year but donโ€™t want to miss out, why not book a festive getaway with us here at the New Continental to make the most of Christmas 2021.

Plymouth Festive Good Food & Craft Marketย  ย  ย Barbican Lights Switch-on

For more information on any of the events above and credit for the imagery please see Visit Plymouth.

Welcome Back!

The New Continental has officially reopened!

Over the past few months, whilst being closed to the public we were transformed into a residential care hotel, New Continental Extra Care. This was commissioned by Plymouth City Council, with care provided by Livewell Southwest staff. Our Extra Care Hotel opened in April in response to the coronavirus pandemic and closed its doors on 30th June having bid farewell to the final patient.

It was an honour to help our local community during what has been challenging and unprecedented times. Now as we return to business as ‘usual’, we would like to give you further information on the precautions we are taking to look after you and our team.

We have looked at all our procedures from the time of your arrival to the moment of your departure, and we have adapted many aspects of our normal routines.

  • All our staff have had back to work meetings to ensure that they understand and comply with the new health and safety requirements
  • All staff will wear a mask or visor
  • Sanitising stations have been installed around public areas and next to each lift door on each floor
  • Screens at the reception desk
  • Track and trace – if you are staying with us as a guest we will already have your details however if you are visiting the hotel or you are a supplier we will require your contact details
  • Temperature checks for all staff at the beginning of each shift
  • The team are to sanitise hands before and after serving each guest
  • Steve’s Brasserie will be open on Monday to Saturday evenings from 5.30pm – 9pm (last orders 8.45pm). On Sundays, guests can order from the room service or bar menu and are welcome to dine in the bar area. We will be running one reduced menu across the brasserie, room service and in the bar
  • There will be no more than two chefs in the kitchen at any one time
  • We have removed welcome packs, cushions and all throws from bedrooms for the time being
  • Club Continental will remain closed until further guidelines have been announced by the government

One of the most important things, however, is that we still have comfortable rooms, a wonderful city centre location just a few moments from Plymouth’s waterfront and a fantastic team of staff who are dedicated to ensuring that you have a happy and relaxing stay with us.

Thank you all for your support and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Extra Care at the New Continental…

We are proud to be working with Livewell Southwest and Plymouth City Council to temporarily turn our family-owned hotel into an extra care facility. This will be for people who are ready to leave hospital but need extra care support before they can get home. This means vital hospital beds can be freed up to support those who really need them.

Our team will be supporting Livewell with the practical side of the operation including providing catering and cleaning services, working alongside dedicated healthcare staff who have been recruited and trained by Livewell. Volunteers recruited by Plymouth City Council who have given up their time to support others will also be part of the team. Members of our existing team will not be carrying out personal care with people and there are strict criteria around who is eligible for a bed.

People with confirmed Covid-19 diagnosis or those displaying symptoms will not be suitable for the Extra Care Hotel and will be cared for in more appropriate settings.

Bobbie Hajiyianni, Director at the New Continental Hotel said:

“As a family we are happy to be able to use our hospitality services in this supportive role to the wider community and local NHS. We look forward to the day where we can all leave these challenging times behind and we are able to re-open our doors to the public.โ€

Geoff Baines, Director of Safety and Quality at Livewell Southwest said:

โ€œWe are working closely with Plymouth City Council and other organisations to ensure that we can support people in whatever way we can. Importantly we want to ensure that we can relieve some of the pressure on our hospitals by providing somewhere safe for people to move to from hospital when they are well enough but when they are not quite ready to go home without support.โ€

Councillor Kate Taylor, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care at Plymouth City Council, said:

โ€œItโ€™s amazing how many people have come together across the system to help re-purpose this hotel and relieve some of the pressure placed on the hospital, to support our residents in the city and ensure that there are places for people to move to from hospital the moment they are well enough.โ€

Our hotel will be reopened and ready to take people if needed, from tomorrow (Wednesday 15th April).

Our team are still able to answer queries regarding any future accommodation or event bookings you have with us, please contact us by email on reservations@newcontinental.co.uk

Habits In Hospitality | Secrets Revealed…

When IS the best time to book a hotel?

In this blog, we pull back the covers and reveal ALL the secrets that could save youย POUNDS!

We may all be aware of the four seasons; even if the good old British weather doesnโ€™t always comply!ย  But what about the three hospitality ones!?

Perhaps not all of us are so aware of the cost saving travel we could unearth if we got to know a little more about theย habits of hospitality!

Thereโ€™s a lot to be said for UK travel; we live in the most amazing country. We may not get all the vitamin D we need from sun exposure, but even on grey days, the UK is still pretty amazing.

Here at the New Continental Hotel, we may be biased; but we think that Devon (in particular Plymouth!) is truly breathtaking. To ensure as many people regardless of their budget get to experience a little sea, city and moor in their life; we are sharing ourย Industry Secrets!

Seasons in hospitality are depicted in three main terms;ย 

Peak, Shoulder and Off

Peak Seasonย (or High Season) is basically when the destination that you have chosen is at its most popular โ€“ it boils down to simple supply and demand! However, this can sometimes change! You see Peak Season can be set by many factors; weather, events, activities and more. More often than not itโ€™s also set by the school term-times too. As an independent hotel weย NEVERย set our prices by school holidays; by graduation, Firework Championships and Ocean City Sounds yes, but school holidays, no!

Here in Plymouth, the New Continental Hotelsย Peak Seasonย is predominantlyย May โ€“ September.

TOP TIP #1 |

If you are choosing Plymouth as your holiday destination, a really great place to start your planning is on the Visit Plymouthย website. Look at the events that are scheduled; they do advance scheduling so all the way to a big year for Plymouth which isย 2020. Make sure you also like destination pages on social media. You then get instant updates and news without sharing your data and receiving too many unwanted emails!

 

Shoulder Seasonย (or Mid Season) is the time between the Peak and Low Seasons. Prices here are literally an average between Peak and Low. Normally this season is when you can negotiate great rates. It’s always best to contact the hotel directly.

Here in Plymouth, the New Continental Hotelsย Shoulder monthsย are predominantlyย March (depending on Easter), April and October.

TOP TIP #2 |

By booking directly, a hotel will not pay any commission, so you will often find a direct booking the cheapest place to book a hotel room. Hotels may not be able to discount the rate given, but they can add value. Hotel currency is a great place to start, most hotels like to give you this as it means that your spend will stay in their hotel. Hotel currency is often a voucher to spend in their restaurant or bar or on treatments if they have a spa.

Upgrades in the Shoulder months are also more tangible as occupancy is lower, so they have more flexibility with their availability. Perhaps an upgrade to a Superior Room from a standard or Parking included in your rate. Bare in mind that hotels tend to only do this for longer stays, over three nights, but well worth a conversation!

 

Off Seasonย (or Low Season) is when the prices are the very lowest you will find. Itโ€™s when hotels are predominantly running at a low occupancy, so have less staff working which is reflected in the pricing structure. This is when you can really grab yourself a bargain!

Here in Plymouth, the New Continental Hotelsย Off Seasonย is predominantlyย November โ€“ February.

Top Tip #3 |

Besides paying less, visitors who come to a tourist spot like Plymouth during the off-season will enjoy less crowding, and a more laid-back atmosphere. But there are things you need to keep in mind and plan around. Whilst off-season travel is great for the purse-strings, itโ€™s really important to remember that this could mean a change in opening hours, menus and transport links such as ferryโ€™s. If there is a certain attraction or museum that you want to visit, call them first before booking your accommodation and check when (or if) they are open.

Also be mindful that heavily populated tourist areas, like Plymouth, use the off-season months for renovations, so could be closed or planning to change their opening hours to accommodate any facelifts or nip and tucks!

NOTE |ย 

During the off-seasons, you will find the most amazing bargains; three nights for two, free breakfasts and overall just crazy low prices. But hotels that are in holiday destinations will be running on fewer staff. With this in mind,ย  itโ€™s important to rememberย you may have to wait a little for a Porter or waiting staff. Hotels sometimes will only offer their non-refundable rates during this time too, these can save you around ยฃ10-ยฃ15 per night, but it does mean that there is no chance of a refund should you not be able to make your booking.

So, a quick recapโ€ฆ

Off Season discounts on beds, food and more WILL save you pounds!

No matter what the season, booking your accommodation directly will give you the best rate.

Destinations in the UK are not really governed by the weather. What that means is most UK destinations will have plenty to do and see even if the heavens open! Planning is essential though, so you donโ€™t get disappointed during your stay with a change in opening times.

Travelling in the shoulder and off seasons means that you do not have to have everything booked in advance. There are always hotel rooms available almost anywhere in the country. So if you just fell in love with a place or meet awesome like-minded travellers, you can go with the flow and your plans can be flexible. Or if you simply choose to stay an extra night โ€“ all thatโ€™s stopping you is you!

Travelling in the off season months gives you a real chance of getting tickets or reservations that might otherwise prove impossible during peak season without pre-booking months in advance.

Plymouth celebrates its winter seasons with a bunch of pretty awesome small festivals and events and community markets โ€“ and there is a lot going on in spring and autumn as well. So if the โ€œlack of major Plymouth eventsโ€ was a bother to you, be reassured, you wonโ€™t get bored in the shoulder and off season months in Plymouth!

If you are looking at staying in Britainโ€™s Ocean City at any time, call us, we would love to welcome you to our beautiful city.

New Continental Hotel | Millbay Road | Plymouth | PL1 3LD

Tel |ย 01752 276798ย Email |ย reservations@newcontinental.co.ukย Web |ย www.newcontinental.co.uk

Why Apprenticeships Matter In Hospitality …

Why do an apprenticeship..?

Can you have a hotel without passion..?ย What is a holiday without exceptional service..?ย We must engage, empowerย and enable young people..!

Paul Doidge, Executive Chef for the New Continental Group explains why he is an ambassador and advocate for anything that gives young people a springboard that connects them to a future in hospitalityโ€ฆ

The government initiative to fund three million apprentice places by 2020 has had a mixed response. So, after the first year we take a look at the benefits attached to apprenticeships. For both theย New Continental Hotel, Plymouth andย our sector.

As a family business we feel it is our duty to ensure guests have the very best experiences. Yet we also feel it’s our duty to do the same for ourย staff too. We aim to ensure our staff feelย appreciated, empowered and enabledย – as well as knowing their value and unlocking their potential.

Paul Doidge shares the facts…

“Apprenticeships are excellent for up skilling staff whilst also recruiting and retaining top, young talent. Recent research has shown us thatย 70% of apprentices stay with their employersย once completing their qualification. This is really amazing statistics.ย  For us, apprenticeships arenโ€™t just about the value they offer the apprentice, but also the value they give our business and sector as a whole. Having an apprenticeship programme is one ofย the bestย ways of creating a more motivated, passionate and satisfied workforce.

Whatโ€™s more, it ensures growth in our sector and a future that is bursting with energy and enthusiasm.ย  With young people passionate about a profession within hospitality. There have been great stridesย  taken within our sector over the last 20 years, not only by us, but many amazing companies who are championing the industry. As a united front a huge change is coming, by us all sharing the same vision,ย  recruiting new talent and tackling the somewhat negative perception of working within the industry means we are making leaps and bounds in the right direction.”

What do apprentices do for our sector?

“For us, as anย independent hotel,ย  apprentices help decrease the skills gap but also change the narrative over time on the positives and many benefits that chefs can reap from working within our sector. As the new levy moves boldly into its second year we can look forward toย  incubating the next generation to attract, retain and develop new shining lights. This will help brighten all of our futures and is most definitely the way forward.”

What IS the levy?

“Like many changes, understanding them sometimes feels like you need a post doctorate to wade your way through the facts and figures! I am no expert, but working with City College Plymouth has helped me understand the essence of the levy.

Basically it requires all companies (with a pay bill of more than ยฃ3m) to contribute 0.5% of their payroll costs to the scheme. They then claim back for training. This amount is then topped up by 10% from the government. Businesses with pay bills below ยฃ3m donโ€™t pay into the fund but they still have access to government subsidies of 90% of the cost of the apprenticeship, with the employers co-paying the additional 10%.

A year in and many are now asking for the Apprenticeship Levy transfer fund cap to be expanded from 10% to 50% to help support SMEs, as they make up of 90% of the hospitality industry.”

Do you practise what you preach?

“Although we are definitely not pretending to be experts in the field, we have had apprentices forย many yearsย and are pleased and encouraged that we are seeing apprentices lead on to successful, long-term careers in hospitality. What we also love to see is the numbers doing higher level apprenticeships have also increased. There is no doubt that like us, those businesses that are open to this real and purposeful way of working really do benefit.

By spending just a littleย  time getting to know the rightย apprenticeship provider, who are the experts, can bring you many benefits and we are so grateful for the support we get from City College Plymouth.”

Why is it important to have the right partners?

“The apprentices take what they learn from the classroom environment and apply it in a real and purposeful way. If both sides of the equation, the college and the business don’t collaborate well, then the programme will fail.ย  Speaking in terms of the world ofย  hospitality, by working tightly together there becomes more relevant and rigorous training and qualifications that really mean something.

The future within our sector cannot be depicted only by bricks and mortar as we strive for 5*, but by passion, enthusiasm and young people who understand their value and who are inspired to turn their passions into a profession that matters.”

More Than Just GREAT Wi-Fi..!

Where can you get great W-Fi In Plymouth?

โ€œAround the world there are many cities that have become cultural icons; incorporating buildings, landscapes and other features of huge cultural significance. Keeping all of these both intact and alive can be a major challenge. It involves integrating conservation of the old in the development of the new.ย 

As a family business, we are sympathetic to the heritage and restoration of our hotel, a historic symbol in Plymouth. Yet blending the old world charm, a warm family welcome whilst offering the mod-cons is not always easy. But, itโ€™s an ambition we strive to fulfil.

The Preservation of history…

It is vital, but not always easy, to preserve the historic culture of a city. The New Continental Hotel has a business history of over 30 years. It has a family culture that takes a long term view of business investment and relationships. The hotel, and its teams are dedicated to achieving innovation, growth and sustainability for Plymouth.ย 

Our business is connected to and very much part of a city that we are proud of and passionate about.ย  To be an entrepreneurial business with a great team at its heart is essential.ย  You need a team that work hard to build a business that can last for the long term. You also need a team who show pride of place in a city they love. In my eyes, this takes more than dedication and hard work: it takes vision, innovation, passion and an entrepreneurial spirit.

In an age when we talk about connectivity being as important as fresh white linen and hot water, Wi-Fi in any hotel is an essential offering for all guests. Whether they are on a leisure break and want to upload their pictures to social media or use it to settle their children to a film on Netflix at the end of a day; or indeed Businesses Travellers in need of global corporate connectivity โ€“ staying in touch is vital.

2016 at the New Continental Hotel …

In 2016 the New Continental Hotel launched our Enterprise Grade Wi-Fi in all of our public areas: our function and conference rooms, leisure club, bars and foyers as well as our in-house restaurant. This January we are thrilled to say that the entire hotel is now better connected, with a dedicated leased line of 30Mb also now providing great connection to our 99 bedrooms, across all five floors.

With the ability now to support higher Internet traffic and bandwidth demands as well as adding more access points on each floor, we have been able to blend the Victorian architecture and thick walls with modern technology; giving our guests a strong, consistent and reliable Wi-Fi signal throughout the entire hotel.

Being Connected …

Itโ€™s easy to be connected and to care about our city. The width and breadth of Plymouthโ€™s offer for visitors takes a unique shape in comparison to other city destinations in the UK. ย It has a wealth of history and heritage, its cultural heartbeat creates a rhythm that is rich and varied, with a plethora of opportunities for audiences of all backgrounds. This, coupled with its beautiful waterfront hook, extends to provide both a tremendous rural and coastal experience for its guests. ย 

What I love more than anything though, is that what has always been apparent in this marvellous city of ours, is the innovative dynamic and forward thinking people in it, the people who understand that although our past is something to be proud of; our future is just as bright and worth the investment.โ€

Elinor Eatonย 
Development Manager
New Continental Hotel

 

Five Minutes With | Hospitality Does HR

Our favourite five minute interviews with Plymouthโ€™sย  finestโ€ฆ

What is it really like to work in hospitality..?

Each week, the New Continental Hotel will hold five-minute interviews, allowing these hospitality gurus to prove that this sector really is the perfect place to beโ€ฆ

Today we sit back, we kick off our shoes and we get down to โ€˜businessโ€™!

Name:ย Nikki
Position:ย Human Resources & Accounts Manager

How long have you worked in the Tourism & Hospitality Sector?
I have been working within the sector for 30 years!

How does it feel being part of the New Continental Hotel Family?
Itโ€™s really nice to know that you are working for a company that cares so much about their staff and the experience of their guests. Itโ€™s a small team, smaller than anyone ever expects, but we are all always ready to help, step in and support each other. We may be small, but together we are mighty!

The development and regeneration of the city…

There are lots of changes planned for Plymouth in the gear up to 2020, how might this affect you and your department?
What has always been so good about working for an independent company is that you can organically shift and reshape to ensure you are always robust and fit for purpose. The development and regeneration within the city shows our guests a true sense of pride in Plymouth and that is an amazing thing to be part of.

Tell us about a day in your life?
Every day is different, one day someone might come in to talk about something exciting that is happening in their department; and another day it may be that someone needs a shoulder to cry on because they are having a bad day. Mix that with my day to day accounts role, processing and balancing figures โ€“ and all I can say is that not any one day is ever the same!

You have a unique role โ€“ can you tell us a little about it?
Itโ€™s shaped into what it is today over the years. As the Human Resources Manager I provide support & guidance to the team across all spectrumโ€™s of the HR function, while managing & developing our staff alongside the HODs (Heads Of Departments). The role assists in the development and delivery of human resource projects within the hotel and Club Continental as well as plans and tactics that improve overall Organisational capability and performance. Then, my Finance & Accounts part of the role is helping the Finance Director to ensure robust and effective forecasting, reporting and management of income and expenditure.

Sounds like a lot of work! What would you say is the most rewarding part of your role?
From a HR point of view there really is nothing more rewarding than watching a member of staff achieve what they have been striving for. Watching departments grow and seeing staff propel themselves and advance in what they do through training, mentoring and support.

What’s the future of hospitality?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope still here, doing what I enjoy for a family I really enjoy working for, within a sector that has always been โ€˜myโ€™ sector!

What advice would you give anyone looking to get into our sector?
GO FOR IT! Yes, the hours can be long but there are so many opportunities โ€“ including 9-5 jobs!

There is a myth that comes with the hospitality sector โ€“ yes there are some roles that are more โ€˜unsociableโ€™ than others โ€“ but many times you get paid to BE sociable!

Seeing happy guests, being part of holiday memories and working within a team that is so supportive makes everything worth it. Hospitality is by far the best sector to be involved in โ€“ I love it.

I would also recommend seeing the difference between independent and chain settings. They really vary and some people feel more at home with the uniformity and structure of a chain, whilst others like the autonomy and creativity of an independent.

Wedding Wise |ย Fun Wedding Trivia..!

Wedding wise |ย Fun Wedding Trivia..!

Nowadays, there are no two weddings that are ever the same (which we love at theย New Continental Hotel!) However, that’s not to say we aren’t all familiar with some long standingย wedding traditionsย andย customs.ย ย The question is…

“Do we know where they stem from and how they came to be?”

Here is a fun guide about differentย wedding culturesย and customs from around the world that may explain to you how some of todayโ€™s long standing traditions came to be and might just make you rethink about what you wish to include on your own wedding day;

Weddings Around the world |

  • In English tradition, Wednesday is considered the โ€œbest dayโ€ to marry, although Monday is for wealth and Tuesday is for health. (Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funnyโ€”as itโ€™s the most popular day of the week to marry!)
  • In many cultures around the worldโ€”including Celtic, Hindu and Egyptian weddingsโ€”the hands of a bride and groom are literally tied together to demonstrate the coupleโ€™s commitment to each other and their new bond as a married couple (giving us the popular phrase โ€œtying the knotโ€).
  • For good luck, Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day. Ouch!
  • B Middle Eastern brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eye.
  • Throwing confetti over the bride and groom originates from Italy.
  • Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice.
  • A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe to ensure that sheโ€™ll never do without.
  • In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlywedโ€™s home as a symbol of fertility and luck.
  • In Egypt, the brideโ€™s family traditionally does all the cooking for a week after the wedding, so the couple can relax.
  • In Greece, they have a โ€˜money danceโ€™. It starts off with the couple dancing with a handkerchief and then one by one their guestโ€™s pin money to them โ€“ Forget gravy boats and toasters! The Greeks give the stuff you really want to take home.
  • Valentineโ€™s Day and New Yearโ€™s Eve are the two busiest โ€œmarriageโ€ days in Las Vegasโ€”elopement central!
  • In South Africa, the parents of both bride and groom traditionally carried fire from their own fireplace (hearths) to light a new fire in the newlywedโ€™s fireplace.
  • In Japan, white was always the colour of choice for bridal ensemblesโ€”long before Queen Victoria popularised it in the Western world. (Queen Victoria started the Western worldโ€™s white wedding dress trend in 1840โ€”before then, brides simply wore their best dress.)

Wedding History |

  • Much of the traditional wedding ceremony as we know it is based on Ancient Roman customs, when marriages were arranged so the tradition of being given away symbolises the act of the father quite literally handing the bride over to a new owner! Usually, the bride was given away in exchange for a price of dowry.
  • In the 17thย century there were two cakes โ€“ a brideโ€™s cake and a groomโ€™s cake. The groomโ€™s cake was dark in colour because the white of the brideโ€™s version was not considered masculine enough.
  • Queen Victoriaโ€™s wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds.
  • European nobility started the trend of wedding favours in the 16thย century by handing out cubes or small boxes of sugar โ€“ an expensive and rare delicacy at the time.
  • The honeymoon originates from when a man would capture his bride! The couple would hide from the brideโ€™s parents before marrying and remaining hidden for a further cycle of the moon after the wedding, celebrating their union together by drinking honey wine.
  • Princess Victoria established the tradition of playing Wagnerโ€™s โ€œBridal Chorusโ€ during her wedding processional in 1858.
  • One of historyโ€™s earliest engagement rings was given to Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. She was two-years-old at the time!!
  • Wedding toasts are believed to stem from ancient times when wars raged between neighbours. Many would attempt a truce by marrying off the children of their leaders, during the celebratory feast, the brideโ€™s father would drink from a communal pitcher to display to his guests that it was not poisoned.
  • Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor dayโ€™s goodbye with a raucous party.
  • The tradition of having bridesmaids started in Roman times when brides would have 10 witnesses dressed identically to them. The idea being that the bridesmaids would act as decoys to evil spirits trying to harm the bride. They also served as extra protection should a rejected suitor try to kidnap her on the way to the wedding.
  • The flower in the groomโ€™s buttonhole goes back to the days when a knight would wear his ladies colours to display his love.
  • Having a Best is a tradition from Anglo-Saxon England. Then, the groom would take along his most trusted and strongest friend (his โ€˜bestโ€™ man) to help him fight any resistance from the brideโ€™s family.
  • The bride stands to the groomโ€™s left during a Christian ceremony, because in bygone days the groom needed his right hand free to fight off other suitors.
  • Each tier of the wedding cake has its own significance; the bottom tier is for eating at the ceremony and the middle tier for distributing after the event and in the 19thย Century, the top tier was saved until the first childโ€™s christening โ€“ an event which often followed quite soon after the wedding. As the traditional recipe is a fruit cake, which has a long shelf life, it was quite safe to tuck into a slice for a few years after the big day
  • About 70 percent of all brides sport the traditional diamond on the fourth finger of their left hand.
  • Snake rings dotted with ruby eyes were popular wedding bands in Victorian Englandโ€”the coils winding into a circle symbolised eternity.

Wedding Culture |

  • The โ€œsomething blueโ€ in a bridal ensemble symbolises purity, fidelity and love.
  • The tradition of aย wedding cakeย comes from ancient Rome, where revellers broke a loaf of bread over a brideโ€™s head for fertilityโ€™s sake.
  • The bride throws her bouquet backwards over her shoulder for the group of unmarried girls to catch as its believed the girl who catches it will be the next to marry.
  • Before paper confetti, people threw flowers, petals or grains of rice at the happy couple to bestow prosperity and fertility.
  • The traditional haul of five sugar coated almonds as wedding favours are to represent health, wealth, happiness, fertility and a long life.
  • A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.
  • The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below
  • Rain on your wedding day is actually considered good luck, according to Hindu tradition.
  • The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.A successful kiss โ€“ without the cakes tumbling down โ€“ meant a happy marriage.
  • Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
  • Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.

Many of us feel comfortable doing โ€˜what is expectedโ€™ when it comes to wedding traditions. If itโ€™s what our parents and grandparents did, it makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside to carry on those same traditions.ย  But if that’s not for you, well itโ€™s your wedding so you can pick and choose what elements suits you for your own unique and special day!

With our fun guide, youโ€™ll hopefully now know exactly what each part of your own big day symbolises and why these traditions are carried out.

Five Minutes With | Hospitality Does Fitness…

Whats it really Like working in hospitality..?

Each week, the New Continental Hotel will hold five-minute interviews, allowing these hospitality gurus to prove that this sector really is the perfect place to be.

So, settle comfortably as we delve into our firstย  five-minute interview with our Club Continental Managerโ€ฆ

Name:ย Adamย Position:ย Manager of Club Continental

How long have you worked in the Tourism & Hospitality Sector?
I have worked within the Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality sector for over 22 years.

How does it feel being part of the New Continental Hotel Family?
To be absolutely honest, itโ€™s like a second home for me. It feels like one big happy family and I am truly proud to be part of it.
There are lots of changes planned for Plymouth in the gear up to 2020, how might this affect you and your department? Plymouth is a beautiful city and it is fantastic to watch its growth over the years. There are interesting times ahead, especially with all the redevelopments going on. Hopefully with all the plans I have in place for Club Continental we can successfully continue to grow and strengthen our brand whilst ensuring all of our members continue to benefit from the club and the city alike.

What’s involved in running a Leisure Club..?

Tell us about a day in your life?
A typical day consists of: Up at 5am On PT days I will have my first client (s) at 6am, then steady throughout the day, combining that with coaching and running Club Continental. I always make time for my own training sessions too!

What does running Club Continental look like?
I am responsibility for personal health, safety and welfare of staff, members and guests. As well as the overall management of Club Continental; for all aspects of the business as well as its future growth. Although part of the New Continental Hotel, we have a separate budget and different methods of working. The sector is one of few that are able to straddle the changes in trends to ensure we are always relevant, so keeping my finger on global trends and whatโ€™s hot and not within my practise is really important. Our clients at Club Continental and members have very different demands, desires and needs, so I work hard to make sure we are fit for purpose for everyone.

Itโ€™s a busy job, with a huge amount of challenges but with that also comes some really exciting opportunities. I see the Health & Fitness sector growing exponentially in coming yearsโ€™; I really believe it is on-track to become a vehicle that reconnects people and creates community, so thereโ€™s a lot of potential and huge gains to be made. Itโ€™s an exciting time.

“Helping people develop and achieve their goals…”

Whatโ€™s the most rewarding/enjoyable part of your job?
Helping people develop and achieve their goals. I think I am also most proud of the community we have built within the Club. The way that my staff empower the members and guests to make dramatic life changes and achieve their own body and fitness goals. My team and I have built a strong business over the years and I honestly put that down to the fact we all really care. I know with their hard work, passion and commitment Club Continental will go from strength to strength. My team are also what makes my job so enjoyable. They all individually work hard to achieve their own goals and always bring with them an amazing energy. They all really champion the Club ethos.
Iโ€™m so proud of the community weโ€™ve built.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I will carry on doing what I am doing, helping build the Club and continue to run AD Fitness & Performance.

What can people do to get into hospitality..?

What advice would you give anyone looking to get into our sector?
If you work hard and stay focused you can do anything. This is a great sector to be in if your natural aptitudes are geared towards health and fitness, we basically share our knowledge & passion with people, in a setting that feels like home! There are outstanding people joining our industry, all passionate about what they do. I love the different styles and influences they bring with them, my advice would always be do what you love.ย  From YouTube Vloggers to Instagram Masters โ€“ use what you know as your point of difference and donโ€™t let anyone tell you you canโ€™t.

If you can, experience Uni!ย  Keep your values and invest in the right people โ€“ weโ€™re lucky enough to have staff that have been here for years and that is because they really look after our guests and members and really care about them. Thatโ€™s not just a line, they genuinely care.

 

 

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