New hospitality company appointed to manage major visitor attraction

The team behind Coombe Abbey Hotel is set to manage St Mary’s Guildhall when it opens later this
year after £5.6m of investment and redevelopment.

Coombe Abbey Park (LACO), will be appointed to operate St. Mary’s Guildhall and will draw on
the resources of No Ordinary Hospitality Management to deliver a heritagevprogramme, visitor experience and develop the marketing to attract more visitors.

The company has been formed after transforming Coombe Abbey’s commercial operations which
include new and refurbished food outlets and a highly successful Go Ape tree-top adventure.

St Mary’s Guildhall sits next to Coventry’s Cathedral and dates back to 1352 and the redevelopment
programme is underway with the aim of ensuring that the Guildhall takes its place in the city’s visitorvoffer for residents and tourists, and grows its reputation and customer base.

Richard Harrison, managing director of No Ordinary Hospitality Management and Coombe Abbey
Park Limited, said: “St Mary’s Guildhall is a truly iconic building of national importance within the city centre and we believe it has massive potential for a wide range of events.

“We clearly have experience in dealing successfully with historic buildings and allowing them to
deliver cutting-edge events while maintaining their unique character.

“Now we will be working hard to support Coombe Abbey Park (LACO) Ltd to ensure we make the
most of the wonderful space and increase its profile within the city, the region and across the
country.”

No Ordinary Hospitality Management will operate through Coombe Abbey Park (LACO Ltd) for the
contract which will also establish the Guildhall as a venue for weddings, events and conferences.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City
Council and member of the shareholders panel for Coombe Abbey Park Ltd, said: “This is an
important milestone because it means we can start gearing up for opening during our year of UK City
of Culture.

“The redevelopment of the Guildhall will help ensure it is sustainable for the future and can become
an even more prized asset for the city, both for residents and for visitors who will be able to see the changes to the venue.

“The combination of Coombe Abbey Park (LACO) as operator and the expertise and resources of
No Ordinary Hospitality Management will ensure that we have in places all the skills to help grow the business at the venue – which is an important part of the legacy of the scheme.”