A Wakefield resident has landed her dream job after taking over at one of the town’s hotels.
Gillian Douglas, 53, from Crigglestone has been appointed as General Manager at the Campanile Hotel on Monckton Road.
She arrives with more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality sector having started out as a silver service waitress in the Lake District in the mid-1980s, before securing her Hotel Management Diploma and holding a series of management positions at three-star hotels in Yorkshire.
Gillian is tasked with using her experience to grow the hotel’s client base and online ratings.
She said: “After three years away from the hospitality industry I realised I missed it too much, and once I saw this job advert I just couldn’t resist.
“Hospitality has been a huge part of my life ever since I was a child – my mum used to work in a hotel and I always used to visit her on my way home from school – so it felt natural for me to follow in her footsteps. I even met my husband at work, who was a detective sergeant at the time so I’m glad I trusted my instinct when it came to choosing my career!
“I want the Campanile Hotel to reflect my passion for the industry. I love the buzz of being able to make a difference to somebody’s day – if we get that right and build our reputation, then the financial side of the hotel will look after itself.”
Gillian was appointed to the Wakefield hotel by Mark Aldridge, Director of Operations for UK and Iberia at Louvre Hotels Group – the parent company of Campanile.
Mark added: “It was a very easy decision to welcome Gillian on board – her unrivalled experience combined with a passion for the industry makes her the ideal candidate to drive our Wakefield hotel forward.”