Member Article

Two key staff boosts hotel after £1m makeover

An experienced duo have brought their experience from top tourist centres to lead Darlington’s first design hotel.

Chef Simon Walley, who perfected his craft at some of the world’s finest restaurants including The Ritz and three Sir Terence Conran establishments as well as another in Australia voted among the world’s best, is leading the kitchen at Houndgate Townhouse.

New operations manager Charlie Skelton has returned to her native North East after five years in the Lake District.

She helped rebuild business at White Water Hotel after a devastating flood in 2009 and was assistant manager at Lindeth Howe, once home to Beatrix Potter’s mother.

More than £1m has been invested in refurbishing the historic Grade II-listed Houndgate Townhouse into an eight en suite room hotel with design features that reference its past uses alongside the heritage of Darlington.

Simon and his team are serving up lunch and dinner Monday-Friday, brunch, afternoon tea and dinner on Saturdays, and lunch on Sundays in the hotel’s 26-cover Eleven restaurant.

Simon joined Eleven from the Bay Horse at Hurworth, where he was head chef. He also has head chef experience as at another north-east favourite, the Tontine, near Stokesley, where he gained three years of experience.

He started his career at the Michelin-starred Paul Kitching restaurant, Juniper, in Altrincham, before moving to London where he worked at The Ritz, Chez Nico in Park Lane, and Conran’s Butler’s Wharf Chop House, Cantina Del Ponte and Le Pont de la Tour.

He then moved to Melbourne for seven years in a career that included the Hotel Sofitel, Vue de Monde, voted among the world’s best by US-based Elite Traveler Magazine, and Bistro Vue, which he opened and is currently ranked 25 out of the city’s 3,000 restaurants.

Simon said: “For every chef it’s a dream to have an almost blank canvas to design the kitchen you want and handpick a passionate and talented team to create some incredible food using the very best of locally sourced ingredients.

“We are bringing classic French dishes to Eleven and freshening them up with a new approach to create visually appealing food which is of the highest quality but at a reasonable price.”

Washington-born Charlie’s experience has been in launching new hospitality offerings and developing existing businesses, including the bar and brasserie at Malmaison in Newcastle.

Houndgate Townhouse proprietor Natalie Cooper added: “We are delighted to have attracted a superb senior team with great expertise, creativity and a reputation for great customer service.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .