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Private Notes
A man from Essex nervously prepares to propose to his girlfriend, and a fellow guest awaits the results of a test for cancer. Meanwhile, manager Wayne Bartholomew is at a loss as he tries to deal with new assistant Amos, whose enthusiasm greatly outweighs his abilities
Checking in to the Damson Dene in this second episode are Tom and Susanna, who arrive a couple of weeks before their wedding to make sure everything is in place. Susanna is five-and-a-half months pregnant and Tom's grandmother has been very ill so there is no time to lose. Even though he lives alone in a caravan with his dog, Fly, Hotel Manager Wayne is a bit of a romantic. So he loves to put on the perfect wedding in one of the three civil ceremony rooms: the Princess Suite, The Heron View and the Lounge. The hotel's owner, Jonathan, depends on weddings to keep the hotel afloat, so both insist on giving the bride and groom their dream day. Whenever there is a wedding, most of the pressure falls on chef Kirk and his Polish kitchen staff. Catering for 80 people puts everyone under stress and the language barrier can really turn the heat up. When Tom and Susanna's big day arrives, the first signs of trouble arise when the toilet in their bridal suite stops working and Tom turns to brandy to calm his nerves. Then the best man goes too far in his speech and the service from the kitchen starts to break down. Can Kirk get the kitchen running smoothly, and can Wayne keep the guests happy?
It's the school holidays and the Damson Dene is full to bursting with families and their young children. From reception to the gardens, from the bedrooms to the hallways and even under tables in the dining room, kids are everywhere, pushing the staff to the limits. Checking in this week are four families desperately in need of a break from the pressures of everyday life. But with noise levels on the rise and flies irritating both staff and guests, will their stay in the Lake District deliver the stress-free holiday they're after? The hotel is stretched when one of Britain's largest families comes to stay: Kate and Ian, their two dogs and seven daughters aged 14 and under. With so many kids, they've named their daughters alphabetically, and keeping track of all their ages is tricky. And the family is about to get even bigger. With yet another baby on the way, Kate and Ian are especially in need of a few days away. They're regular guests as few hotels so readily accommodate such a large family, but here at the Damson Dene, the staff set about juggling furniture and filling the two rooms with extra beds in a bid to squeeze everyone in. And parenting is proving hectic for Alistair and Emma, who've come to the hotel with 18-month-old Connor and three-month-old Cameron. He might not have officially reached the 'terrible twos', but Connor is definitely giving his parents the run-around. Meal times are proving especially chaotic - and potentially embarrassing - as young Connor causes a scene over dinner. But with the hotel full of other people's kids, some of the staff are missing their own. Kate, the restaurant supervisor, pines for her five-year-old son who she's recently left in Poland for an extended holiday with his grandparents. And hotel manager Wayne reveals a startling truth about his own childhood.
On one night at the Damson Dene, the lives of staff and guests change forever. Checking in are Richard and Rebecca from Manchester, who have two young babies and haven't spent a night on their own for 14 months. Richard's just turned 30, and when Rebecca asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said 'a night's sleep'. For this exhausted couple, a night away from the kids should be the perfect tonic. It's also their three-year anniversary, so they'd like to celebrate that too and make it a night to remember. But after champagne, beer, wine and a bottle of vodka, the night becomes one they'd do well to forget. Also visiting the Damson Dene are Simon, an engineer for the Royal Navy, and his Brazilian girlfriend Vanusa, whom he met while on a naval posting overseas. She doesn't speak a word of English and Simon's Portuguese is basic, but he's madly in love with her. Undeterred by the language barrier, he's taking her on a two-week tour of the UK in the hope she'll agree to move here and start a new life together. Arriving straight from the airport, the Lake District is the first stop on their holiday. Will a night at the Damson Dene - her first ever outside Brazil - work its magic? Behind the scenes, kitchen porter Kuba has recently been put in charge of preparing all the starters and desserts. But is he up to the job? Kuba's behaviour in the kitchen has been testing the patience of both head chef Kirk and manager Wayne. Tonight, the fallout from his drunken evening may lead to a one-way ticket back to Poland. Is this one hangover too many for Kuba?
The Damson Dene comes under attack from guests complaining about everything from the décor to the food and the housekeeping, pushing manager Wayne and his staff to the brink. First to check in are mother and daughter Margaret and Sasha, who love value for money and make a point of seeking out bargain breaks. They've driven from near Bolton to the Lake District to take advantage of the Damson Dene's £50-a-night bed, breakfast and dinner deal. But can the hotel live up to their exacting standards and high expectations? Geordie couple Jamie and Danielle are not impressed when the TV in their hotel room goes on the blink. Things come to a head when a nasty review is posted on TripAdvisor, in which the staff bear the brunt of the criticism. But it's not all bad reviews. Mark and Clare from Wigan love everything about the hotel, especially its dog-friendly policy, as they never go anywhere without Brandy, their cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Following a stock-take, mouldy food is found in the fridge. Determined not to let standards slip, General Manager Wayne comes down hard on the kitchen staff, and clashes with Kirk the head chef, who's forced to rethink how best to run his kitchen.
Mysterious forces are at work at the Damson Dene when one of the hotel's showers appears inexplicably occupied baffling staff and guests alike. Local psychic Amanda is looking for a function room. She's running an event to show everyone that they too can be looked after by one of the angels she believes are all around us, if only we open our eyes. 'You're very lucky if you get to see an angel... most people tend to feel (them)', says Amanda. Intrigued, head receptionist Yvonne turns up to find out more. Meanwhile, checking in to the Hotel are the Bells - an Evangelical Christian couple who've come away for a relaxing weekend of walking and prayer. They're fascinated by the general assistant Amos's Biblical name and think he might be a potential convert. But the Bells are baffled when they return to their room to find the bathroom locked and the shower on full pelt. The receptionists are baffled too, and manager Wayne is sent to investigate. The hotel's newest recruit, Amos, is reaching the end of his probation period. He's moved from Romania in the hope of building a career in the hotel industry. Despite being hard-working and keen, he still struggles with basic tasks, and the strain of starting life in a new country is also taking its toll. Amos considers his future and reflects on the tough circumstances back home that led him to leave Romania in search of a better life in England. Hotel manager Wayne can't decide whether he wants to adopt him or suggest that he return home to Transylvania.
Relationships are under the spotlight at the Damson Dene. Nadine and Christian are at the end of a two-month trial separation. They've come to the Damson Dene with their teenage children Beth and Luke and cocker spaniel Cassie in a last-ditch attempt to save their marriage and bond again as a family. Christian and Nadine's attempts to rescue their relationship veer from public displays of affection (to the embarrassment of Beth and Luke) to private moments of tension as they struggle to forgive and forget. Will a stay at the hotel get their relationship back on track? Meanwhile, Bob and Jeanie from Scotland have come to the Lake District in search of peace and solitude and to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Behind the scenes at the hotel, barman Paul and general assistant Lavinia are the only married couple living in the staff quarters. They came to the UK from Romania three years ago and are about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Manager Wayne has become very close to them, and, despite his own chequered love life, remains a hopeless romantic. They're away from their home, family and friends, and Wayne is determined to make their anniversary one to remember, so he enlists help from the other staff to prepare a surprise banquet.
Trouble is brewing as manager Wayne clashes with his assistant, Marta. Marta was the acting manager until Wayne was hired a year ago, and their relationship was problematic almost from the outset. Now their dislike for one another has reached the stage where hotel owner Jonathan is forced to get involved. Things come to a head when Wayne pushes Jonathan to decide which of them should go if they can't tolerate working under the same roof. Can Jonathan mend the fences or will a vacancy at one of his other hotels provide the only solution? Elsewhere, Jonathan hopes another of his couplings is more successful - this time in the hotel's pigsty. He's brought in a boar to impregnate the hotel's resident herd of sows. Will these pairings prove less problematic? Back in reception, singer/songwriter couple Marie and Philip are checking in. They've come to the hotel seeking creative inspiration from its surroundings and the chance to write songs together. Phil's snoring, however, is proving far from music to his wife's ears. They've brought their son Andrew with them. He's about to turn 16, and the couple are determined to squeeze in one more family holiday before he's too old to endure the prospect. As a birthday present, the couple drive Andrew on a 350-mile round trip from the hotel up to Edinburgh to visit a shop he loves. But, perhaps they should have phoned ahead to check it would be open...
The staff of the The Grosvenor in Torquay are introduced for the first time. There are problems when they stage a wedding for a young couple.
It is Mark's first summer season at The Grosvenor Hotel as manager. In an effort to try and improve the hotel's cash flow and to keep the guests happy he decides to start Party Night an event nobody will ever forget.
Temperatures and tempers are rising during the summer season at the hotel. Mark decides to try and improve morale by starting an Employee of the Month scheme. Christian and Patricia, along with Christian's three grandchildren - Alexander, Olivia and Louis - come to stay at the hotel.
Mark throws the hotel's first ever pool party, with a barbecue, cocktails, ice cream galore, and 'Dolphin Racing', where children ride on the back of inflatable dolphins while the guests bet money on the winner.
'Stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap' is Mark's business philosophy, and packing the Grosvenor with coach parties paying rock-bottom prices is helping to keep the hotel afloat. 'Most hotels would be happy to achieve 70% occupancy, but for us we would go out of business,' says Mark. But without a computer, his 'failsafe' old-school booking system of Tipp-Ex, paper and coloured pens comes a cropper and the hotel is now overbooked.
Romance is in the air as two loved-up couples check into the Grosvenor. Single mum-of-four Jane fell in love with her children's babysitter, Mike; they arrive at the hotel on a whistle-stop tour of Devon, four days after getting married. Terry and Arelene, who've been married for 47 years, are celebrating the honeymoon they never had by staying at the Grosvenor and are hoping to spice things up in the bridal suite. Meanwhile, recently separated manager Mark has decided to re-open the hotel's nightclub; not in the hope of finding a new partner, but in an attempt to cash in.
'I would sell the hotel on three things: location, entertainment and food,' says Grosvenor manager Mark. He's come up with a plan to revamp his old restaurant, The Inn, and he wants his new 23-year-old chef, Jenna - whom he's promoted from housekeeping after finding out she is a qualified chef - to come up with a tantalising menu.
'This hotel has caused me a lot of problems. I've lost my home, my marriage and my car. I could put up with losing my home, I could just about put up with losing my wife, but I'm really upset I lost my Bentley.' Now living in one of his hotel bedrooms and working round the clock to keep the Grosvenor ticking over, Mark thinks it's time he rewarded himself by getting back his pride and joy, his Bentley: same colour, same number plate, but this time bought on hire purchase. This time he's determined to keep the car, whatever happens.
It's Christmas at the Grosvenor! Things get off to a bad start when the bargain bin Christmas decorations fail to transform the hotel into the anticipated winter wonderland. 'Ideally we want them to go 'Ah, this is like Santa's grotto!'... but we can't afford it, so they'll have what they get,' says Mark.
It's the start of the summer season back at the Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay. After a long, lean winter, finances are at rock bottom and hotel manager Mark faces the toughest challenge of his life: to stop the doors closing on the business forever. His bums on beds formula hasn't worked and only a radical approach can save the failing hotel now. In true eccentric style, Mark has come up with a master plan: his self-described three-star, bucket-and-spade hotel is going upmarket, catering to the 'Guardian readers - the people with money'. Cue more madness and mayhem as Mark and his team try to lure in posh guests and keep them happy over another busy summer season. Mark's first step towards attracting posher guests and their disposable dosh is through special events. Feisty reservations manager Alison is not convinced by Mark's new snobbish aspirations but is soon swept along in his maverick mission.
Mark brings in a former AA Chief Hotel Inspector as he tries to take the Grosvenor upmarket.
Mark decides the key to attracting more up-market guests to the Grosvenor is to invest in a new gourmet sausage.
The Grosvenor bares all at what should be the hottest money-spinning event of the season - Ladies' Night. But with only two days to go manager Mark and events manager Christian are still on the hunt for the star turn - the strippers. Oh, and they've set the ticket price too low: half a dozen topless butlers, a couple of strippers, a disco and a buffet, all for a fiver. Nobody knows exactly how many ladies are coming. Christian hasn't numbered the tickets and Mark is selling more and more behind Christian's back. Meanwhile, the former chief AA hotel inspector that Mark called in to help reverse the Grosvenor's fortunes returns to check on efforts to upgrade the hotel. With little evidence that any of his recommendations have been implemented, one of the bedrooms gets a 60-minute makeover while 'unflappable' reservations manager Alison distracts the inspector in the hotel bar. At least the inspector is on hand to provide some solutions to the chaos of Ladies' Night, confronting Mark and Christian about yet another last-minute scramble. And as he digs deeper he discovers the hotel finances are in worse shape than he imagined. Meanwhile, the guests are warming up for Ladies' Night, including a pink-clad hen party from South Wales and three generations of the all-girl Fletcher family from Shrewsbury, one of whom has an unrequited crush on manager Mark.
Mark has had a brainwave as he continues to attempt to broaden The Grosvenor's horizons and attract new guests: an Indian themed night, with Indian dancing, Indian singing and a lavish Indian feast, in an attempt to attract repeat business from Indian families. Mark throws himself into the spirit of the evening, plumping for authentic Indian dress and plastering his face with brown make-up, to the horror of reservations manager Alison, and the amusement of his Indian guests. Mark isn't the only thing getting on Alison's nerves; all hell breaks loose when someone steals her beloved Torquay United mug. And Mark reaches the end of his tether when a simple BBQ almost turns into a bonfire. Meanwhile, some important invited guests are getting ready for Indian night, including Indian millionaire Gulu and his daughter Dibna, who are on a rare trip to the seaside. They're blown away by the beach at Torquay, but the banquet at the Indian night falls short of their expectations and fish and chips become the order of the day. To make matters worse, pest control is called to investigate some unwelcome guests in the millionaire's bedroom. The French family from Doncaster are also checking in. They've come to Torquay for many years but now eldest son Luke, who has autism, is growing up and the family holiday is a chance for him to spread his wings.
Mark decides to take a tougher line on staff management, and that it's time for events manager Christian to become more cost-conscious. Mark gives Christian a chance to prove himself by asking him to organise a money-spinning wedding fair at short notice, and to oversee a wedding that The Grosvenor has gifted to a local couple as part of a drive to raise the hotel's profile. But Christian's personal life is in turmoil and he's suffering from a broken heart; can he give the bride the day of her dreams? Tensions come to a head as word leaks out that Christian has been persuaded to give the 'free wedding' couple the two most expensive things on the menu: duck a l'orange and pink Cava. Mark finally decides to take decisive action. 'Christian's day of reckoning is coming,' he says, but their meeting takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, Alex and Amanda from Dudley are checking in to The Grosvenor. They've come to Torquay to relive some of the happy childhood memories Alex had with his father, who recently passed away.
Mark finally decides to sell The Grosvenor: his debts are now so high that he has no choice but to let the hotel go. He's dreading telling the staff. Mark turns to his advisor, the former chief AA hotel inspector, for support. The guests, like the staff, are unaware that these are the last days of The Grosvenor in its current guise. Meanwhile, front of house, The Grosvenor is as 'fawlty' as ever. The Jones family from Leeds check in after taking eight hours to travel the 300 miles to Torquay. The Grosvenor corridors prove a similar navigational nightmare as they settle in to their first ever stay in a hotel. Reservations manager Alison's favourite family, the Fountains, make a return visit to The Grosvenor and nine-year-old Lane Fountain's dream comes true when a maintenance man teaches him how to vacuum. Lane has a genetic condition called William's Syndrome: he's extremely friendly and obsessed with vacuum cleaners. The hotel staff take him under their wing as the business collapses around them. It's the end of an era but Mark tries to keep a smile on everyone's faces by entering Team Grosvenor in the Torbay coastal rowing race. For the first and last time, Alison dons her Lycra and takes to the water. Can Team Grosvenor win the battle at sea even though Mark's lost the financial war?
Mark needs a buyer for The Grosvenor before the summer ends, while the doors are still open and the staff still have their jobs. In the meantime, he wants reservations manager Alison to step into his shoes and run the hotel. Alison is far from convinced but agrees to do it 'on a trial basis'. The first day Mark is away, barman Nick decides it's his chance to run the bingo session. With a few drinks inside him he tries to bring alternative comedy to The Grosvenor's regulars. Alison realises she's going to have to crack the whip to get the staff in line for a new owner. Mark, meanwhile, is on the trail of a local hotel magnate who has shown an interest in The Grosvenor. With no other potential buyers coming forward, former salesman Mark needs to close this deal. With a sale looking more likely, Mark prepares to leave, and the reality of an era at The Grosvenor coming to an end hits the staff. They decide to throw a last-minute leaving party for him: can they pull off this one last event in time? Meanwhile, the oblivious guests keep telling Mark what a great time they're having and rebooking for the next year. Mark's mum, Stella, is finding it all hard to bear. Will her son be leaving with nothing except the holiday memories he always wanted to create for his guests?
Documentary following Mark Jenkins two years after he was forced to sell his own hotel, the Grosvenor. Back in Torquay and alongside ex-colleague Alison, the former hotelier takes on the new role of entertainments manager at the 90-bed Cavendish Hotel. With its leaking roof and struggling finances, owners Vicky and Andy have agreed to take on Mark in the hope that he can save the family business. However, for a man who has been his own boss since the age of 19, keeping him in line could prove challenging
Mark secretly announces to the press that in 48 hours' time the Cavendish will make a record-breaking attempt to bake Britain's biggest scone. However, the news is out before the entertainments manager has asked for permission or told head chef Gerry that he will be responsible for preparing the giant cake. And hotel owner Vicky is convinced it's all a recipe for disaster, because baking - on any scale - is not Gerry's forte. Meanwhile, love is in the air among the guests, as reformed rock `n' roller Damien plans a romantic proposal and 15-year-old Wes practises his chat-up lines
Mark plans a Scottish-themed evening for a coachload of Scottish guests. But can he get bar manager Mike and the Cavendish's bosses onside? And do the guests really want battered Mars bars?
Halfway through his mission to bring holiday sparkle to Torquay's struggling Cavendish Hotel, Mark focuses on improving customer service, starting in the dining room, but acerbic head waiter Paul presents a challenge. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan has brought his eight-year-old daughter to spend time with his girlfriend Amanda and her two kids, as a dry run to test out life as a blended family. And when Mark finds out the guest is a three-time Olympic gold medallist, he goes all out to impress him
Mark decides to bring Torquay's Gay Pride to the Cavendish, hoping the event will be highly profitable, but to guarantee a big crowd he needs to book a headlining celebrity. With just a few hours to go, the entertainments manager's old friend Alison finally manages to sign up cagefighter Alex Reid - the problem is, the star is five hours away in Doncaster. Guests at the hotel include busy working parents Russ and Kath, looking to let their hair down, and the Bailey family from Cheshire, who arrive off the motorway with tempers already frayed
It's high season at the hotel, but Mark has hit a low, fearing he isn't making enough money and worried that he's running out of time. To get his mission back on track, he comes up with `Carnage at the Cavendish', a wrestling spectacular he hopes could turn the hotel into a centre for the sport. And the entertainments expert also wants bar manager Mike to start running events of his own, so Mike quietly gets on with plans for a 1970s night
Mark wants to make the Cavendish more child-friendly and thinks a family fun day will help him achieve his goal. He asks general manager James to take charge of the event, hoping the task will make him more decisive in his role, but with Hurricane Bertha on the horizon, boss Vicky suggests they cancel. Will James find the courage to overrule her? Meanwhile, Mark receives shocking news about his mum Stella
The summer season is over and it is time for entertainment manager Mark Jenkins to say goodbye to the Cavendish Hotel. However, he has more than hotel business on his mind as his mum Stella recovers from a stroke in hospital. Determined to 'go out with a bang', Mark plans to secure his legacy at the hotel and restore his reputation in Torquay with a lavish black-tie gala celebrating local family businesses like the Cavendish. Will he sell enough tickets before the gala commences? And has he achieved enough in the summer to ensure the struggling hotel has a future?
