The Mere on the fairway to success says chairman

BOSSES of The Mere Golf Resort & Spa, the Cheshire hotel resort, are celebrating a double boost – strong financial results and a top rating from Trip Advisor.

Chairman Gary Corbett who invested in the golf and country club in 2010 ahead of a major £15m investment programme which saw an 81-bedroom hotel and spa complex added, said he was “pleased with progress” in the business over the last year.

Mr Corbett, 52, also a partner with south Manchester accountancy firm Milner Boardman, said The Mere would grow operating profits from £1.5m to £2m next year and turnover would come close to £10m for the first time – it was £7.5m this year.

Although there is work still to do on the 150-acre site – most notably to transform a disused helicopter hangar into a fitness studio – he said he and business partner and chief executive Mark Boler, would be open to managing other resorts.

He told TheBusinessDesk.com: “We don’t want to run before we can walk, but we think we have developed a successful operating model. We’re not investors, we’re operators and I think what we have done here is transferable.”

The Mere’s transformation from an exclusive golf club with a small events offering on the side, to a business with 260 staff, has not been popular with all.

Mr Corbett said: “As we developed the hotel some of the more traditional golf members voted with their feet and moved on. We’re not a traditional golf club any more, and we have to accept this will not be everyone’s cup of tea.

“We know though that we have an excellent golf product – and selling it is a big focus for us.”

Building a strong management team has been a big part of the Mere story too – as well as the two shareholder-owners there is a senior management team of six, including Iain Donald, the former commercial director of the Individual Restaurant Company and hospitality sector marketing expert Gaynor Black, who is a non-executive director.
 
In terms of revenues the new hotel is consistently hitting 70% occupancy and is retaining a strong room rate.

The resort is growing in popularity for weddings and spa breaks. One challenging area is corporate golf days, which has yet to return to its pre-recession income levels.

Mr Corbett explains: “The corporate golf the market is still recovering after the financial crisis. Where before you would have a golf day for 100 people it’s now 60, which means lower revenues.

“The market is competitive – there’s the DeVeres at Carden Park and Mottram Hall and Marriott at Worsley Park – so we have put a lot of money into our course and it’s the best condition it’s ever been.

“We can’t compete with our rivals on price, we are more expensive, but we are so because we believe we’re a better product.”

External verification of The Mere’s credentials came last week when the resort was awarded the 2013 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, the world’s largest travel site.

The award places The Mere, one of the leading North West destination resorts in the UK, and is given to businesses that consistently earn high ratings from TripAdvisor travellers.

Chief executive Mark Boler, whose late father the entrepreneur Stephen acquired what was then called Mere Golf & Country Club in 1983, said he was delighted with the accolade.

He said: “This is recognition of our obsessive focus on outstanding customer service and delivering the best possible experience for our guests and visitors.

“We’re very excited to be awarded this independent Certificate of Excellence and we hope it will help drive more visitors to us.”