A WEST Devon hotel and restaurant which has worked hard to develop the skills of its staff is this week celebrating recognition as an Investor in People. Business Link for Devon and Cornwall has supported Percy?s Country Hotel and Restaurant, which employs a staff of 19 on the 130-acre Coombeshead Estate near Virginstow, through the Investors in People process. Tina Bricknell Webb said: We are delighted to be successfully assessed against the Investors in People standard. It demonstrates our commitment to developing the Percy?s team in order to raise the performance of our business. ?We have worked hard to make staff feel part of the organisation and to realise that the way in which everyone does their job is reflected in customer satisfaction which has a direct impact on the balance sheet and the growth of the business.? Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb acquired the estate in 1990 and opened Percy?s in its present form in 1996. The couple have since diversified the business into a chefs? academy for the training of young chefs, an organic and gluten-free mail order service for fine foods, an equestrian centre and stud and an organic farm. In addition to developing staff training and multi-skilling, Percy?s has also sought to refine its systems of team building and to increase the awareness of staff of their role in the success of the business. Multi-skilling has enabled staff to be flexible to suit changing operational needs and to cover for each other at times of holidays and sickness. A typical day might include bottle-feeding lambs, chopping logs, butchering pork, washing up, waiting on tables, greeting customers, confirming reservations and making gluten-free pumpkin cake for the hotel guests. The hotel has won a string of awards and accolades including the RAC Gold Ribbon and Westcountry Small Hotel of the Year. Most recently, eight chefs from the Academy have settled into their first jobs after completing NVQ II programmes.
