Swindon's hotels doing well, figures show (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon's hotels doing well, figures show

11:00am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News By Leigh Robinson

HOTELS in Swindon outperformed the UK as a whole during 2012, according to new figures.

Swindon, which can be reached by 90 per cent of the UK by car in under two hours, had a good year, according to two of the major hoteliers in the town.

And the official figures are backed up by PKF Accountants and business advisers.

For 2012 as a whole, room yield in Swindon increased by 3.3 per cent to £26.84, compared with £25.99 in 2011.

It was the result of a 5.2 per cent increase in occupancy from 51.3 per cent to 54 per cent, which more than offset a 1.9 per cent drop in room rate from £50.66 to £49.71.

During the same period, operators in the UK as a whole saw rooms yield rise by 0.8 per cent, thanks partly to a solid performance in London.

Neil Dimes, a partner for PKF said: “Despite high-profile events such as the Olympic Games, the abiding memory of the past 12 months for many in the industry will be the absence of any meaningful recovery in consumer or business confidence.

“Put in this context, a 3.3 per cent rise in rooms yield in Swindon is a significant achievement.

“Despite this impressive result, expectations for 2013 are likely to remain modest unless we experience significant economic recovery.

“The snow and associated travel disruption we have seen recently will not have helped the sector.

“Hoteliers in Swindon have shown they are a resourceful bunch but this is not the start to 2013 that many will have hoped for.”

The general manager of the Marriott Hotel, in Swindon, Adam Flint, said: “Swindon has seen growth in occupancy in certain segments, in particular the Travel Trade sector.

“This would explain a drop in rate as rates are softer at weekends.

“But we have really established ourselves well as a town as a stop-off destination to Bath, the Cotswolds and surrounding areas.

“Locally the Steam Museum and Outlet Village continues to be a great attraction.

“Midweek rate has been challenging in the market while hotels compete for projects. It will be interesting to see how 2013 pans out – we are expecting a flat performance.”

Andrew Spink, the general manager of the De Vere Hotel, in West Swindon, said his business had done well in 2012.

“A lot of people have been doing a lot of work promoting Swindon and the Designer Village.

“I know people have been to us four or five times and they have used Swindon as an ideal place for families to meet.

“People might have chosen to go on holiday in the UK last year and Swindon is well placed for the rest of the UK.”