Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8 – National Winner

The Hotel and Extreme Academy Ltd Watergate Bay

The Hotel and Extreme Academy Ltd Watergate Bay
Winner Best Family Business
Turnover Category £1-5m

The hospitality business in Watergate Bay, Cornwall has been in operation since 1967. Often described as a ski resort on a beach, the Hotel and Extreme Academy is a beach lifestyle destination, offering sports equipment for hire, sports tuition, equipment retail and accommodation. Future planned projects include the development of an Eco-village and a destination spa. Since 2000, the turnover of the business has increased from £1.1m to £5m and the number of employees has increased from 10 to 95.

Roger Pedder, Chairman, of the independent evaluation committee commented:


"As a successful second generation business, the evaluation committee members were impressed by:

  • The innovative transformation of the direction of the business over the past 10 years and the opportunity to create new revenue streams;
  • The way the second generation proved themselves by building and running a parallel business before taking over the family hotel from their parents;
  • The maturity about the way the business is run, despite a young management team;
  • The active use of independent advisors, non-family directors and business mentor; and
  • The family’s outstanding approach to philanthropic activities, way beyond expectation for a business of its size, in helping to develop Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation in Cornwall."

To read the press release please click here.