UK Housekeeper Association meeting at the Mayfair Hotel in London

In May 2011, during a trip to UK Lycette & Associates was present at the UKHA monthly meeting at the Mayfair Hotel in Central London. A record 117 members attended and the evening started with a great cocktail party and networking opportunity. Prolet Gale, the Executive Housekeeper of the Hotel and her team, organized a show round of all the renovated rooms as an extra bonus!

In the May Fair’s luxurious private theatre, the group had 3 outstanding speakers. The first was the Mayfair’s Deputy General Manager, Michael Cheung who gave a preview of the Hotel and presented the 3D Kylie show! (Complete with everyone wearing 3D glasses)

The 2 nd presentation was CLEAN’S presentation on some of the implications to linen distribution and staffing over the eighty days of the London Olympics next summer.

Some quick facts and figures on the London Olympics!

The Olympic Games is the world’s biggest event and it will run in UK from 27 July until 12 August 2012.  203 countries will participate making up the 50,000 strong Olympic Family of 18,000 athletes and team officials, 22,000 media. A total of 9 million tickets will be sold. The Paralympic Games take place two weeks later from 29 August until 9 September 2012 with 170 countries participating including 10,000 Paralympic Family; 6,000 athletes and team officials and 4,000 media. 1.4 million tickets will be sold. There will be a 100,000 workforce including volunteers and 4 billion global audience

Road closures and restrictions will undoubtedly result in changes to delivery and collection times for linen, this could well result in disruption to normal/revised deliveries (traffic congestion) Flexibility, communication and co-operation between hotels and linen service providers will be crucial.

Staff Implications: at the Stratford Olympic Village there will be 16,000 athletes which = 16,000 beds and housekeeping requirements! There will be a huge demand for agency staff, casual staff and experienced staff.  So during London’s busiest period, staff will be at a premium

TSA Chief Executive Murray Simpson described the implications of the recent volatility in global commodity prices, particularly cotton. Murray works tirelessly on behalf of the industry, representing hotels at government level, and forging strong relationships with related associations like the UKHA and British Hospitality. For more in-formation on Murray and the TSA visit www.tsa-uk.org

CLEAN who was the major sponsor of the night, is one of the largest privately owned laundry and linen services company in the UK. The business was founded in 1886 and four Laundry plants – Maidenhead, Camberley, Reading and Banbury. CLEAN provides a full range of products and services from standard pooled linen rental to bespoke five star rental, and customers owned goods laundry. In addition our specialised workwear and cleanroom facility at Maidenhead offers full garment rental solutions with total traceability to both the pharmaceutical and food preparation industries.

CLEAN has recently invested £12m in a new laundry in Camberley which is claimed to be the most energy efficient laundry in Europe. www.cleanservices.co.uk