Bournemouth hotelier calls for 'forward thinking ideas'

The town’s once famous hotel industry has been going through significant change in recent years, with some falling into administration, others closing down and a handful being sold. 

But one hotel group has said its portfolio is a “success story” and has been offering advice on what the town should aim towards to reinvigorate the area. 

Muhammad Malik is the Bournemouth-based group director of finance and business support for Oceana, which owns eight Bournemouth hotels, including the Cumberland, Suncliff and Ocean Beach hotels. 

Oceana, which also has three restaurants in the area as well as hotels in Europe, has a “very stable business model”, Mr Malik said. 

The Cumberland Hotel in East Cliff is owned by Oceana (Image: DailY Echo)

“When the market goes crazy, we do not react in the same manner, we don't go bullish at the first sight,” he told the Echo. 

“We maintain our rates purely because we want to give our clientele the service and the comfort and in doing so, we ensure that we retain all our staff as well.” 

Mr Malik, speaking as a Bournemouth resident, said there are three areas of concern that need addressing in Bournemouth: effective policing, fixing the homeless situation and harnessing growth. 

He said: “I'm going to talk as a local resident because I am a local, but for me policing needs to be more effective and the situation with homelessness might or might not be linked with policing.  

“That needs addressing; we are a developed country and if we have people lying about on the street because they don't have a home, I think that is a concern for everyone not just the council. 

“Employers should be forward thinking and willing to employ these homeless people and I'm proud to announce that Oceana does do that. If there is a genuine homeless person who is willing to work, we provide them with the work, with temporary accommodation to help them build their life again. 

“But more importantly we need to harness growth, which is what the town is not doing right now. Why not introduce opportunities for foreign investors who can come in but give them something? 

“Maybe a five year tax break, that’s a big incentive. Just five years, no more. Don't extend it to local existing businesses. Just the new investors.” 

Ocean Beach Hotel

Mr Malik, who is also on the accommodation business improvement district board (ABID), said his business is doing “everything it can” to support the area’s economy and council. 

“We have a few ideas that we have discussed with the local council already, such as proposing some sort of joint activity whereby we can bring our expertise and funding into town and the local council, to build something together,” he added. 

“It will help you bring foreign investment into the town and when foreign investment comes, employment, revenue and income will generate, people will have more disposable income.” 

But what makes Oceana the “success story” he claims it to be? Mr Malik pointed out his three key focuses on the ‘secret to the sustainability’ of the business is to look after the guests, treat the staff well and take care of the assets. 

He is keen to point out that his business looks after its staff, with a high retention rate to prove it, helped by a centralised awards function funded by the owners’ pockets. 

And to look after the assets, Oceana continuously invests in its buildings: “We invest in our hotels fairly regularly and fairly heavily. In 2018, the Cumberland Hotel was refurbished. 

“Oceana was also one of the first groups to introduce state-of-the-art air conditioning to our bedrooms in the area. 

“We are making sure that we give people the facility and the experience, but more importantly we give Bournemouth something. 

Mr Malik said Bournemouth as a town needs to offer more than just the beach. (Image: Daily Echo)

“People come to Bournemouth for their reason and we can only do so much, we don’t have control over how the town's going to look, how the cleanliness and the situation with homeless is going to look. 

“Our bit is making sure we invest heavily in the buildings and that then generates revenue for all sorts of local businesses, such as builders, merchants, suppliers, air conditioning people, engineers.  

“We try and give some back to the economy... there are a few local charities that we support, we work with a lot of local schools for example with placements.” 

He added: “We have a lot of interest vested in this town and we're here to stay. We want to see the local economy grow and flourish, but that has to be a joint effort.”