Bespoke Hotels, the UK’s largest independent hotel group, has bolstered its senior ranks with the introduction of Richard Grove as its new Chief Operating Officer — an experienced hotelier and previous general manager of The Chester Grosvenor, a luxury five-star hotel that sits proudly within the Bespoke collection itself.

Richard has been with Bespoke Hotels since 2015, however, prior to this, he was a senior general manager for Principal Hayley at Cranage Hall and the 275-bedroom Palace Hotel in Manchester.

It was at these renowned establishments that Richard refined his understanding of providing a first-class service, which played comfortably into the hands of his natural attention to detail.

An impressive hospitality career has also seen him manage Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel, Manchester, while recently, he has been combining his position at The Chester Grosvenor with a regional role at Mill Hotel & Spa, Oddfellows Chester and Oddfellows Cheadle — something that will stand him in good stead when being tasked to oversee multiple hotels across the Bespoke collection.

Within his new role, Richard will be responsible for driving the financial performance of the existing hotel portfolio, as well as seeking to secure new management opportunities for the group.

Beyond this, he will also provide leadership to the regional operations, sales and marketing, revenue and distribution, and human resources teams — with a view to upholding quality levels, maintaining standards, growing market share and increasing profitability.

Photographer: Frank Henshall