Interview with Mrs Jeanne Bell and Mrs Shirley Birch about working as hoteliers in Douglas, 1962-1999
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Date(s): 1998, 1999
Creator(s): Manx Heritage Foundation
Scope & Content: Track 1: Mrs Shirley Birch and Mrs Jeanne Bell talk to John Beckerson about working as hoteliers in Douglas, including as hoteliers of the Imperial Hotel Douglas Promenade since 1981. They talk about how they met whilst working at T.W. Cain advocates, buying and subsequently selling the Palatine hotel to buy the Imperial; hard work; impact of Golden Rail tours pulling out of the Isle of Man; visitor base changing from families to coach parties; Imperial capacity changing from 140 to 100 with en-suites; introduction of supplementary facilities e.g. nightclub; night porter; service changes; increase in food choices; difficulties of modernising older building; challenges making a decent living; duties’ allocation amongst operating team; winter functions assisting cash flow; quality home-made food; customer service; repeat business; demise of Promenade hotels; daily working timetable; obtaining 3 Crown award; importance of decoration and family involvement; staffing levels.
Track 2: They continue to talk about staffing levels, recruitment and split of staff between areas; night porter requirement; financial challenges; difficulties of Steam Packet shoulder-months’ services; lack of support from Tourist Board; views on need for commission-based leadership to increase visitor numbers; advertising in the Isle of Man Guide; uncertain future of tourism; changes of use on Promenade; anecdote about Mr Tupper, visitor; amusing story about early days of Imperial; experience of majorette guests; and reminiscences of guest houses in grandmother’s day.
Administration / Biographical History: Mabel Jeanne Bell was born 21 May 1931. Shirley Birch was born 9 February 1935. John Beckerson, researcher, born 1974.
Language: English
Extent: 1 hr. 2 min. 9 sec.
Item name: cassette tape
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: SA 2019-0001/44
Access conditions: All reasonable attempt has been made by Manx National Heritage to trace and request permission (where needed) from the copyright holder(s) in this sound recording. If however you think you are a rights holder then please contact Manx National Heritage.
Subject tags : #UOSH, #UOSHHolidays
I worked there for Jeanne and Shirley in the summer of 1983. They were great people to work for and treated me as part as the family. I came over from Liverpool when I was 19. - Michael Preston Report this
I worked there for Jeanne and Shirley in the summer of 1983. They were great people to work for and treated me as part as the family. I came over from Liverpool when I was 19. - Michael Preston Report this