Hotelier and Managing Director Ben Young reflects on 10 years

Hotelier and Managing Director Ben Young reflects on 10 years leading two of Cornwall’s most historic four-star hotels.
 
The Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth and The Alverton Hotel in Truro have been steered by captain of the ship, Ben Young, who was initially appointed as General Manager of The Greenbank 10 years ago. From January 2018, he was appointed Managing Director of both hotels.
 
The hospitality industry has always run through Ben’s veins. Part of the Young family, his relatives built The Hotel Bristol in Newquay back in 1927. Following a hiatus from his home county of Cornwall whilst climbing the ranks in various hotels across the country, Ben returned to his roots in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since.
 
Some of Ben’s notable achievements over the past decade include introducing a plastic free initiative at both The Greenbank and The Alverton, resulting in the eradication of tens of thousands of plastic toiletry bottles per year, by partnering with local suppliers to find a greener solution. 
 
Ben has also been pivotal in some of the architectural additions to both hotels. In 2015, The Working Boat re-opened beneath The Greenbank Hotel – returning to its 1876 origin of a proper Cornish pub much-loved by locals. Upstairs in the main hotel, the Water’s Edge bar and restaurant had a major revamp in the same year, and two shiny new suites were built - offering an elevated experience and panoramic harbour views.
 
Passionate about being involved in his community, Ben has championed and supported charities, events, and initiatives in both Falmouth and Truro, including hosting beach and city cleans, sponsoring the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival and Truro’s City of Lights, raising £27,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance’s New Heli Appeal, and £8000 for Cornwall Community Foundation. He is also a proud board member of national charity Hospitality Action. 
 
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ben’s leadership and commitment to his employees and community was unwavering. During the lockdowns, he donated The Alverton’s hotel rooms to NHS staff serving on the frontline, and coordinated the kitchen teams to cook meals for Help For Heroes. When it was safe to do so, Ben renamed one of the best suites in the house ‘the Captain Tom Suite’ after the 100 year old war veteran who raised over £33 million for NHS charities. Over 90 complimentary hotel night stays in that room were gifted to key worker heroes, through a nomination scheme.
 
Both The Greenbank and The Alverton have gone from strength to strength under Ben’s reign - picking up accolades including two-AA rosettes in both restaurants, Best Foodie Hotel and Best Bar List in the Trencherman’s Awards for The Greenbank, Best Wedding Venue for The Alverton in the Muddy Stilettos Awards, and both hotels gaining gold status in Green Tourism’s accreditation.
 
When asked to reflect on his proudest moments during his 10 years as Managing Director, Ben said: 
 
“It sounds cliche, but it has truly been such an honour to play a small part in the long-standing history of these two magnificent hotels. The Greenbank is Falmouth's oldest hotel dating back to the 1600s, and The Alverton has such a rich and fascinating history, with grade II* listed status. Each is unique in their own way, and I have always tried my best to ensure both hotels remain firmly rooted in the community, as welcoming spaces that stand the test of time. 
 
One of my proudest achievements and humbling experiences as Managing Director was navigating the unprecedented circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic. During a time when so much was unknown, my number one priority was always in caring for my staff, both in their physical and mental wellbeing, but also doing everything that I could to steer the ship through the storm and retain jobs. 
 
I think it speaks volumes that the average management time of service at both The Greenbank and The Alverton is 12 years. Some of our wonderful team members have far exceeded this. For example, The Greenbank’s Restaurant Manager Gilly Greenhalgh celebrates her 25th year at The Greenbank. Clare Buckler, our Weddings and Events Manager at The Alverton, has been with us for 14 years, and Executive Chef Nick Hodges at both hotels for 11 years.
 
In the current climate and fast turnover of staff in hospitality, I think nurturing talent is more important than ever before, and I’m eternally grateful that both our hotels have the very best people, doing the best work, in a positive and inclusive environment. That’s the culture I intend to champion for the next 10 years and beyond!”