Devon-born Mark Jones has headed operations at both Center Parcs and the Eden Project in the UK, yet his early career in venue operations took him out to ica.
He was General Manager of the Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe and also of two five-star Leading Hotels of the World – the Nolk Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Mount Kenya Sri Club.
Jones was Group Operations Director for Lonrho Hotels in Kenya and, in Tanzania, worked as both Project Manager and GM for Mashado, a luxury, deep sea game fishing lodge.
He personally met some of the political ‘Big Game’ as well during his time in ica, including presidents: Dr Hastings Banda in Malawi, Arap Moi in Kenya and Julius Nyerere in Tanzania.
Returning to the UK, Jones moved into the Big Venue Game, heading Operations at Center Parcs and then at the Eden Project in his native West Country.
A stint as MD of Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire followed. During his tenure, the venue was awarded for Innovation in the Conde Nast Johansens Most Excellent MICE Awards. The venue also carved out a reputation among delegates for having one of the best health spas in the country.
Jones made the short journey from Whittlebury to Wyboston Lakes in July 2011 and was tasked with transforming the dedicated conference and training centre complex to better serve the fast-changing meetings market.
Whereas Whittlebury’s owners had allowed cash flow problems to mount, the Hutchinson family at Wyboston Lakes has continued to build its meetings and training business at the 350-acre rural estate, just off the A1. It is a setting that also boasts a golf course.
Jones admits the recession did force a rethink on the direction Wyboston was taking and, following an initial period of planning and assessment, he launched construction work in February 2012.
Jones says the independent family ownership structure meant the decision to release the investment was quick, ratified within three months of his detailed plan of action being drawn up.
When it is complete (23 October is the target), three very different products within one overall portfolio will have emerged from the Wyboston conference cocoon. Until this summer, the three venues were known as The Robinson Executive Centre, The Willows Training Centre and the Wateont Conference Centre.
“The Wateont Conference Centre is now the Wyboston Lakes Hotel, allowing the company to capitalise on the growing market for corporate bed and breakfast and leisure facilities,” he adds, pointing out the hotel occupancy is close to 80 per cent. As part of the current investment, the hotel is set to acquire a premium spa facility, a first for Wyboston.
Jones’ projects build on a total of £35m invested over 21 years at Wyboston.
He notes management of the construction project was taken in house thanks to the parent company’s experience in this field. It was a move, he says, that enabled the company to control costs closely.
The GM says the first phase of the new, £3m investment was completed in May and involved refurbishing the dedicated conference and training facilities at the Robinson and Willows Centres.
The new common branding also highlights within the portfolio the different price tariffs and facilities on offer.
The reconstruction in spring saw The Robinson Centre renamed the Wyboston Lakes Executive Centre.
It is equipped with 120 ensuite bedrooms, significantly enhanced AV equipment in all rooms compatible with HDMI-ready devices, with central control; and a dedicated organisers’ lounge. The Willows Centre was next brought ‘on message’, renamed the Wyboston Lakes Training Centre. “It was redesigned to be more budget friendly for companies demanding meeting and training facilities but who have cost as their most significant consideration,” Jones explains.
The Willows will offer 24 conference and seminar rooms and 183 bedrooms, 75 of which have been completely remodelled. The standalone 966sqm Oakley Suite has now become available.
The hotel transformation of the old Wateont Centre in 2010 did cut conference capacity, admits Jones.
He says, however, it was an initial signal of the new strategic direction in response to the changing and evolving marketplace.
Clearly a man ready to make a change and break with tradition, Jones adds: “There was more than enough space, and with training not running at levels of 2008 it was too long a period to await a recovery. We had to go into robust markets while not damaging the core business.”
Overall 70 suites were turned into 50, but the hotel and spa should add a new dimension to transform the overall Wyboston offer.
The onsite broadband service has been enhanced to 200 Mbps, which Jones claims to be “the fastest speed available in any specialist conference and training venue in the UK”.
“We’re poised to offer our customers an unmatched combination: the best in traditional meetings facilities and truly state-of-the-art technical support to optimise the communications process,” Jones says.
Each of the three Wyboston sites has be repointed to become a specialist venue in its own market sector. Jones also set about aligning the new venue hardware with the service and staffing software. Indeed staffing was the initial issue that exercised Jones when he first took over in the hot seat at Wyboston Lakes.
“First, I had to determine where the business was going and create a structure for the team to get there,” he says.
He produced a vision which, he says, the majority of staff bought into. His initial task was, he says, to build the spirit and encourage staff to interact.
“At Wyboston Lakes, we’re providing a synthesis of the key factors for successful meetings,” he says.
The Mission Statement and 13 bullet points of Values and Principles was fairly simply stuff but, commited to paper, clearly had a galvanising effect.
“We set the Values and Principles down in our ‘Good Book’. The next stage was to make the brand stand for something and be visible on the market,” the apostle of change adds.
His changes have been bold and not all have stayed to share the vision, but the MD still describes his approach as “evolution” rather than “revolution”.
The intentions for the spa are to add to the overall mission. In terms of the golf course, where a further £30,000 is being spent on improving the greens, Jones has endeavoured to ensure it does not become a cliquey club. “It is pay and play,” he explains, with a system of ‘annual passports’, rather than membership.”
Jones says an energised sales team is now focusing on specific sectors in the meetings industry and taking increasing market share as a result. “Fifty-five per cent of business now comes direct and 45 per cent through agencies,” he says.
The Wyboston spa project is due for completion in October and Jones is confident that it will transform the offer into another dimension. It will incorporate 11 therapy rooms, steam rooms, water beds and relaxation areas with reading pods. There is an external hydro-pool and kelo sauna in the south-facing spa garden. The spa will be open to delegates attending events.
Jones has 300 staff and looking to recruit a further 30. But what next for him once the transformation is complete?
“I’ll be here till I retire,” he says. “If Wyboston Lakes is seen as a beacon of hospitality for both corporate and leisure guests, then I will fade away a contented man!”
This was first published in the August edition of CN. Any comments? Email conferencenews@mashmedia.net
