'It feels like a second home' - Blackpool hotel worker at Britannia's Norbreck Castle clocks 30+ years service
Mr Hiddy’s journey to the Norbreck began with a leap of faith, boarding a plane for the very first time to move to England from Turkey to start a life with his wife.
A Blackpool hotel worker who has served holidaymakers in the resort for more than 30 years is being celebrated for his dedicated service.
Hidayet, affectionately known as Mr Hiddy to his colleagues and hotel guests, has been working at Norbreck Castle Hotel since 1993.
The food service manager, who joined the team as a Silver Service Waiter, is being honoured by the hotel’s parent company Britannia Hotels as it marks its 50th anniversary.
Mr Hiddy’s journey to the Norbreck began with a leap of faith, boarding a plane for the very first time to move to England from Turkey to start a life with his wife.
Having worked his way through a variety of different roles in the hotel’s restaurant, Mr Hiddy is now Food Service Manager, overseeing all the hotel’s food and beverage operations, including conferences and events.
Mr Hiddy said: “When I look back over more than 30 years at the Norbreck, I feel incredibly proud of everything I’ve experienced and everyone I’ve met along the way. I remember the excitement of the 1990s, from silver service corporate dinners to huge Christmas celebrations, and no two events were ever the same.
“But beyond the occasions, it’s the people who have made this place special for me. Colleagues have become lifelong friends, and seeing guests return year after year has been incredibly rewarding.
“I came to England from Turkey with my wife to start a new life, never imagining that the Norbreck would become such an important part of that journey. After all these years, it truly feels like a second home.”
50 years on from its founding in 1976 when it acquired a single hotel in Manchester, the Britannia Hotels Group is now the UK’s largest independent hotel operator, with 65 properties and over 10,000 rooms nationwide.
As well as Norbreck Castle, Britannia owns Blackpool’s only Promenade based hotel The Metropole recently evacuated by the Government after years of use as an asylum hotel.
Helen Rees, Director of Britannia Hotels, said: “Mr Hiddy’s story perfectly captures what makes the Norbreck and Britannia Hotels so special - commitment, loyalty and a genuine connection with people. To dedicate more than 30 years to one hotel is an extraordinary achievement, and Mr Hiddy has played an important part in creating the experiences that generations of guests remember. As Britannia celebrates 50 years, it is people like Mr Hiddy, whose dedication has stood the test of time, who truly represent the strength and character of our hotels.”
The Britannia Hotels Group was founded in 1976 and is one of the UK’s largest privately-owned hotel companies, boasting a portfolio of 65 properties, including 17 premium-brand hotels, a Highlands resort hotel and a holiday park. Elite Venue Selection, Britannia Hotels, Coylumbridge Resort Hotel and Sand Bay Holiday Village are individual and distinctive brands owned by the Britannia Hotels Group. All venues are situated in strategic locations across the UK, including city centres, airports, seafronts and scenic countryside areas, with many benefiting from eminent histories and grand surroundings.