Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8 – Regional Winner

Headland Hotel Company Limited
Winner Best Family Business
Turnover Category £5 - 25m Southern England and Wales Region

Headland Hotels Company Limited has been named Best UK Family Business, Southern England and Wales Region, in the £5-25m turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8. The company will now go on to compete in the £5-25M category at the national finals to be held in central London on Thursday 5 June 2008.

The company operates a hotel and holiday cottages rental company in Cornwall. Headland Hotel was purchased as a run down hotel in 1979 but with a £20m investment, has now become an opulent four star hotel. A five star holiday village was added this millennium.

David Harvey, Regional Chairman of the Evaluation Committee commented:
“Headland Hotel is a successful first and second generation family business, owning and running a seaside resort hotel and holiday cottages, the things that impressed the evaluation committee about Headland Hotel included:

  • The business’ consistent financial and operational performance, maintained through periods of reinvestment and change;
  • The family’s structured approach to succession which includes the next generation training outside the business for 3-5 years, quarterly family meetings to connect and inform the family and careful plans around the passing down of shares;
  • The importance given to supporting and developing employees evidenced by the use of an external counsellor who mentors employees, offers feedback though a 360 appraisal system and assists with the creation of personal development plans as well as receiving the Investors in People award since 1992; and
  • The business’ proactive approach to environmental and energy efficient initiatives and the family’s active involvement with philanthropic activities including community and local school projects.”