Chris whisked away some leaders in the tourism sector after the Tourism Business Survey seminar on 25 April 2023, and hosted a very special chat. His guests were Oliver Paul, co-owner of Suffolk Food Hall, Tarnia Robertson, a Hospitality Consultant and Business Coach (and former MD of Ufford Park) and Elliott Attew, Manager of Deer’s Glade Caravan and Camping Park.  In this bitesize episode, they reflect on the results of the Tourism Business Survey and how the data has reflected concerns and stories around trends and sustainability. They discuss how to make sustainability part of your br ..read more

Chances are, by now, you’ll have seen Steve’s bakeries on one of your days out, or if you haven’t, you likely will do soon! Steve chats to Chris about how he met the founder of Two Magpies Bakery, Rebecca Bishop, and left the corporate life behind him back in 2018, to help invest and grow the then small bakery into the well-known chain it is today. Steve speaks honestly on the financial situation they found themselves in during lockdown, and what they did to ensure the future of the business, and therefore the mortgages of his team, whom he speaks of with great pride. He elaborates on the curr ..read more

Norfolk is famous for a lot of things, and back in 2015 when the BBC commissioned a behind the scenes reality TV series about life on Wiveton Hall Farm; Normal for Norfolk, Desmond MacCarthy and his infamous eyebrows were added to the list! Chris chats to Desmond about life on and off camera; Desmond’s passion for the environment; and how you pivot a business model from fruit picking and farming, into a successful tourist destination. Desmond highlights the importance of sustainability within the tourism sector, how agricultural firms need to embrace this, and how all those in the sector need ..read more

Nick oversees the well-known, and well-respected, Imperial Hotel, in Great Yarmouth. In February 2020, the business won the title of ‘Customer at the heart of everything’ at the Norfolk & Suffolk Tourist Attractions awards. No sooner had they got the award on the mantle-piece, COVID-19 hit and Nick reflects on the headless chicken feeling they experienced. As a hotel that could remain open, they found themselves constantly moving goalposts and pivoting at every turn. They were offering rooms to the East Anglia 1 wind farm offshore teams but, whilst servicing key workers, they still needed ..read more

We are back for series three with a bang! There are not many with more experience or passion for the tourism sector than Peter Williamson, former Chair, now Vice Chair of the Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO), Norfolk & Suffolk Tourist Attractions. Peter is the former owner of the hugely popular Merrivale Model Village, but when he sold the village in 2017 retirement didn’t suit him, so he returned to work by launching The Old Penny Arcade. This attraction allowed him to pursue his passion of refurbishing vintage fairground and amusement arcade machines, where families can revel in ..read more

The series finale is a chat with Karen Hester, Chief Operating Officer of Adnams brewery in Southwold. Karen describes her story as ‘from mop to top’ – starting her career at Adnams as a cleaner, she’s now an award winning, glass ceiling breaking COO. She chats to Chris about all things lockdown, pivoting, the digital revolution, stay-cations, the importance of wellbeing coming out of the pandemic, and much more, but this episode is really about the story of Karen’s personal journey into the world of business, and of her successes along the way. Karen started her career, as a young woman, in t ..read more

What is customer experience? It’s the emotional connection that the customer has with a business. Better known as customer service, it’s more than just functionality – experience is about how people are made to feel. Judy is here to explain why this is incredibly important for tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses to focus on, moving out of the pandemic, and to secure their future past the initial frenzy of ‘being let out again.’ Judy has worked with food and beverage-based businesses for decades, from accountancy to marketing, from secret shopping to research & development (R&D ..read more

Chris chats to Oliver Brown, General Manager at Wivenhoe House Hotel, about all things hospitality and lockdown; his experience on the board of Visit Essex; and his work with the University of Essex’s Edge Hotel School and Hospitality Action. Oliver has worked his way up through the sector, including spells working in America, at The Ritz, and The Dorchester, where he serviced the likes of Sylvester Stallone, the cast of F.R.I.E.N.D.S and Goldie Hawn, amongst others. His wealth of experience perfectly positions him to comment on the last year, and what the sector needs to do to recover, includ ..read more

In this latest conversation, Chris chats to Geoff Bligh, a co-owner of Hanks Deli, Suffolk’s popular vegan supermarket. Where many hospitality businesses faced struggles and closures during lockdown, Hanks Deli pivoted and expanded, meeting a demand that shocked even them! The success of Hanks, and their expansion into a supermarket, take-away and pub means, for them, veganism is good for business! It’s a new reality for how we produce and consume food, and could be the key to the future of hospitality. Geoff worked in the City for many years, before following his passion. His frustration at t ..read more

Series 2 launches with a real treat – a behind the curtains look at Thursford, famous for its Christmas Spectacular show, weddings and more. A favourite of locals, tourists, and celebrities alike!  Looking back on March 2020, brothers Charlie (General Manager) and George (Project and Marketing Manager) Cushing were positive and thinking, “Thank goodness the pandemic isn’t happening at Christmas!” Cut to December 2020, and they’ve had to plan and orchestrate a completely new, and equally thrilling, theatre-esque experience for their loyal fan-base.  They have a fascinating story to te ..read more