A Dundee hotel boss hopes appearing on TV show Four in a Bed this week brings a timely boost to sales.
Glenn Roach and business partner William Salve, who operate Taypark House Hotel, will feature on episodes of the Channel 4 reality hit all this week.
The competition sees hotel and B&B owners stay at each other’s premises during the week.
Hopes for sales boost to Dundee hotel
Glenn hopes the show will bring a boost to Taypark House Hotel after a difficult couple of months.
“January has been a really tough month, not just for us but for all of the hospitality industry,” he said.
“It’s been one of the worst months I’ve experienced. I think we just need a bit of sun therapy and that might help things.
“December wasn’t as great either with the train strikes. This has felt a lot harsher than when we had the Covid restrictions at the end of 2021.
“I think the cost-of-living crisis has really put people off.
“It’s not just us, it is across the board.”
But Glenn remains optimistic that business will pick up. The hotel is nearly sold out for Valentine’s Day.
And he hopes the television appearance will draw in business.
‘Dundee is on the up’, says hotel boss
He also hopes to capitalise on Dundee being named host of Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May.
Stars such as Lewis Capaldi, Niall Horan and The 1975 are set to perform at Camperdown Park.
Glenn said: “Dundee is on the up – there’s a good vibe in the city at the moment with the Big Weekend coming.
“Hopefully we can add to that and show off the city, and if it generates some business that would be great.”
Taypark House Hotel will compete against three other venues. The Dundee hotel features on Wednesday’s episode, the final show of the week.
In the show, each team scores their rivals throughout the week in a bid on a range of criteria.
The winner is the venue that has received the highest percentage of what they charged for their guests’ stay.
Glenn plans to watch with some regular customers. The visit to Taypark House airs on Wednesday at 5pm.
“We’re looking forward to it. It should be some good publicity and we want to embrace it.
“If it does generate any sort of revenue it’s worth the effort. It’s going to be strange seeing ourselves on the television.”
Plans to remove heated dining domes
He also revealed that the heated outdoor dining dooms currently in place at the hotel will be removed later this year.
The hotel installed the domes in November 2021. Each can hold up to eight people and are available for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner.
“I think the novelty has worn off a bit.
“We’re going to take them away for the summer and get back our sun tables.
“We’ll probably stop bookings in about April, but the domes may come back in the winter.”
Conversation