In 2015, Andrea Holdway had spent two years in a Hospitality Industry training scheme, and had just been hired in her first job as the Assistant Manager at a thirty room hotel about an hour south west from Heathrow Airport in a small village. Today was the last day of her three-month probation, so she was keen to attend the meeting the owner of the hotel had said they would have at the end of the day.
The hotel was part of a group of similar-sized hotels, three near London Heathrow, one near London Luton, and one near Birmingham.
The busy time was always between 4 and 6 p.m. as people checked in. Most of their custom was clients flying out of Heathrow early in the morning and wanting to be near the airport overnight. Some checked in late, having just flown in, so as to make the final leg of their journey the next day.
Morning check-out was different, as quite a few people checked out with the night desk because of early flights. That wasn't too bad, as the night clerk did the bills up and put them under the door, and check-out would be done on that if the client did not object and the credit card accepted, so the posting could be done later when the front desk was quiet.
They also had some week-end trade. Couples who checked in on Friday night under the name of Smith or Jones, and were barely seen all week-end. Andrea didn't care as long as, again, the credit card was accepted on checkout.
Andrea had left school to go to University and read Psychology. But there are not many jobs in that field, so she took the two year Hospitality course. Her marks were excellent, and the people who ran the course put her in contact with Jack Owen, who owned the group of hotels Andrea now worked for. He hired her on the spot.
At 24, Andrea was tall at 5'11' (over 6' in heels), slim at 32c-22-33 (only known because of being measured for her uniform), with shoulder-length dark-brown hair with a kind of reddish undertone to it. She was slightly olive skinned - some Mediterranean blood way back when - and very pretty, even without make-up. Basically, the only make-up she wore was lipstick and a bit of eye-shadow, which was all her bone-structure and her dark-brown eyes required.
Technically, her salary didn't look great on paper, but her terms of employment included a large room in the attic that even had a small deck, and all meals and laundry. The room came of course with internet, phone and heating, so at least half her actual salary went into her savings account. Not only that, but any drinks she had in the bar were complimentary as long as not too many.
On evenings she was 'On Call' - i.e. Monday to Thursday, she could close the bar at 10 if no-one was in there. Weekends, the Chef and the Housekeeper - the other two resident staff - split the shifts.
About 6:30 she finally got the call to go through to the study, which was a quiet, book-lined room, off the bar, that customers could take drinks into if they wanted, and was the room Jack Owen used as an office when he was on-site.
Jack was sitting in the corner with a very smart-looking guy, probably early 40s, with a military-style well-trimmed and very tidy full-set of beard and moustache.
"Before we have the chat I am sure you are really interested in," said Jack, "this is Gary Walsh. Gary is a pilot for Netjets, the private-charter people, and he is moving in here as a permanent resident. He's decided it is cheaper and nicer to live here than maintain his own place in London. Nearness of the airport, our restaurant, room care, laundry, etc."
Gary stood up, waited to see if Andrea would extend a hand, which she did, and then took it in a warm and non-overpowering hand-shake. At work, Andrea wore a very low heel, no more than an inch, partly to avoid dwarfing people. But when Gary stood up, he was still maybe three inches taller than her.
Given that he stood up, and did not offer his hand until she offered hers meant that as a boy, someone set out to give him manners. "It's the fact that I can get some service any time I come in that really swings the deal," he said, in a voice with a very Home Counties accent. "In my own place all I have is a fridge full of stale food."
It was well-known that each evening, the kitchen made up fresh sets of sandwiches, of various types, which were put away chilled, and could be requested from the front desk at any time of day or night. People checking in after a long flight, and arriving at midnight, loved it. Andrea herself, after a busy evening, was known to grab sandwiches and take them to her room if the restaurant had closed.
"Welcome to the Owen Hotel, then," said Andrea. "I will ensure we live up to your expectations."
"Thank you. Look forward to chatting with you many times in the future. Thank you, Jack, I will leave you to talk to your young Manager here."
Jack pointed to a chair and asked if Andrea would like a drink. "I don't normally until at least 7:00 and I know most of the normal check-in times are here, thank you."
"I know, but have one anyway, please. Chardonnay is your poison of choice isn't it?"
"Thank you, yes."
Jack had a little bell on his table, and rang it. Immediately a waitress appeared. "A Chardonnay for Miss Holdway, and my usual Scotch, please."
He sat quiet until the drinks arrived. Andrea was getting worried about the pause. Was this to be a farewell drink? Eventually, Jack spoke.
"All five of our existing hotels are managed by people who did the same course as you did. All five of you have proved worth every penny - and maybe more - of what I am paying you. So I am restructuring the business. Instead of me being the Manager in name at each hotel, I will now become the Owner Manager for the Group. I don't know if you have heard, but we have bids in to acquire two more similar hotels, in Glascow and Manchester, and I shall be fully busy with those for a while. So you will see much less of me here.
If I don't shed some work, my good wife may decide to shed me, and that isn't in my plans, no way! So all five current Assistant Managers will become General Managers. That will place you as the person in charge, including over the Chef and the Housekeeper. You may each either hire or promote someone to Front Desk Supervisor/ Assistant Manager, and thus shed some of your evening work, and you each will receive a twenty percent increase in your actual salary, which will make your total package including food and lodgings quiet substantial.
So what do you think? Worth drinking to?"
Andrea didn't quite know what to think. Fortunately, the first three words that came to mind were "Thank you, sir."
"As General Manager, you can call me Jack, please. It is the five of you that make my business model work, and it is appropriate I start to include you into benefitting from the fruits of your labors. So cheers, and congratulations."
Andrea took a sip, and concluded that Chardonnay had never tasted so good!
"The other hotels already know about the changes, which all start tomorrow, but they were asked to keep it quiet from you until I spoke with you! Nothing personal, but someone has to be the last to know. Now, I need to go," said Jack, "or my business partner will wonder where I am. We have to be in Glascow tomorrow."
Everyone in the hotels knew that despite the impersonal reference to his business partner, Jack meant his wife of over 25 years, and they were a good and solid, loving team.
"Safe travels, sir, and thank you. I will endeavor to live up to the confidence you show in me."
"I am sure you will, or I wouldn't have done it. And it's Jack, not SIr, from now on."
"Not even Sir Jack?"
He laughed. "My wife calls me that, and then reminds me it is only unofficial until the Queen calls me that. Oh, by the way, the pay slips for this month-end contain details of the changes, so all the staff should know by tomorrow at the latest. Some may even know now, if they've looked at their email" And with that, off he went.
Andrea sat quietly for a while and really enjoyed the Chardonnay.
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Sleeping naked meant that Andrea could roll out of bed, straight into the shower. It had two of those adjustable height shower heads on a chromium pole that meant she could easily shower without getting her hair wet. Soon, showered and dressed in her dark green uniform with a crisp white blouse under the jacket, she made her way downstairs.
There were three girls on the front desk handling check-outs, but as she came down, they applauded. So obviously they knew. Then Andrea noticed a painter working outside the main door. Typical Jack organization, the attention to detail that was the hallmark of Owen Hotels. The discrete sign over the door that stated the ownership and the name of the hotel's General Manager was already being updated. And, no doubt, simultaneously at the other four hotels.
Normally, for breakfast, Andrea had two soft-poached eggs on toast. When she went into the restaurant, before she had chance to order 'the usual' the waitress brought a Belgian waffle covered in strawberries and whipped cream.
"Chef thought you should celebrate, congratulations!" she said.
As she ate her breakfast, Andrea went through her mental list of things that immediately needed to be done. Select a room for Mr. Walsh, as it would then be out of the pool for anyone else. Choose a front desk supervisor. Tell the bartender from now on to serve her whatever Chardonnay she had had last evening, as it was so much better than what he had been serving her.
She decided that Mr. Walsh would get the end room at the back on the third floor. It was opposite the emergency staircase, which meant it got very little traffic past it and would be quiet. It was also one of the larger rooms. As it happened, it was also directly below her own room, so she knew he wouldn't be disturbed by constant heavy footsteps above him.
The front desk supervisor was an easy choice. Darlene was a single Mum of two kids in their teens, so she didn't have to worry about baby-sitters and was extremely flexible. The kids were good kids, and even worked around the hotel in the summer, the daughter as a waitress and the boy in the gardens. Andrea sent for her and told her as soon as the waffle was gone.
The rest of the front desk staff were pleased for Darlene, so there were no repercussions there. As she finished breakfast, it being a Friday, Chef came out with his plans for the daily specials for the next week starting Monday. They typically discussed this over Andrea's coffee, and it was usually very amicable as the Chef knew his job, and also because he limited himself to his part of the hotel and didn't interfere in other departments.
As Norman came out with his lists to go through with Andrea, he put down a large mug of coffee in front of her. She looked at it and laughed. In big bold black letters around the mug it said "The Boss".
