The Vincent Hotel, Southport’s premier lifestyle destination, is celebrating a monumental milestone in hospitality as its core team officially surpasses a collective 200 years of service.
At the heart of this achievement are the magnificent seven, a group of dedicated professionals who have each served at the Lord Street landmark for over a decade.
Leading the charge is chef James Higgins, who has been a cornerstone of the kitchen since the Southport hotel first opened to huge fanfare in 2008.
To mark the occasion, General Manager Tom Hindle hosted a celebratory event featuring a bespoke 200th birthday cake, honouring the time and passion the team has invested in the venue.
The celebration comes at a time when the hotel is reflecting on the incredible loyalty of its staff, noting that just eight team members alone contribute a total of 88 years of experience to the business.
A Culture of Loyalty in Modern Hospitality
While the hospitality industry often faces high turnover, The Vincent Hotel has bucked the trend by fostering a culture of deep appreciation.
Tom Hindle noted that this achievement is incredibly positive for both the hotel and the wider industry.
He said:
“This week I learned that one of our team members has just celebrated an incredible 16 years of service at The Vincent.
“When we looked across the wider team, we realised that colleagues with over five years’ service have now collectively reached 200 years with us, with just eight team members contributing 88 years between them.
“This achievement is something really positive for us, and for the hospitality industry and something we are extremely proud of.
“It really highlights the loyalty, culture, and guest‑focused spirit that make The Vincent what it is.”
Hindle continued: “I am delighted that we have so many people who love coming into work every day.
“We have two colleagues who have left The Vincent and have then come back to work for us again!
“Hospitality is changing. It is so important that people feel valued and appreciated.
“We run an Employee Of The Month scheme, with £100 for the winner.
“We receive excellent reviews on review sites. If one of our team members is mentioned positively in a review, we give them £10. As people clock in for work, we have a wall that features our ‘Stars of 2025’; it will be our ‘Stars of 2026’ soon.”
Enhancing Guest Experience Through Familiar Faces
For guests of the 59-room boutique hotel and the award-winning V Café & Restaurant, this longevity translates to unparalleled service.
Long-serving staff members include Phil Bradshaw and Emily Parish, who have both served 16 years, and Carl Oldham, with 15 years.
They are joined by Craig Leonard and Angelina Swain, both with 13 years of service, and Ric Andrade Viveiros, who has reached the 10-year mark.
Hindle explained:
“Having long-serving members of staff is good for our customers too, who love seeing friendly faces and know that we have people here who will ensure that they are treated very well.
“Our team know and recognises our regulars.”
This level of familiarity ensures that every guest is treated with the high standards that have seen the V Café & Restaurant honoured by The Times as one of the UK’s Top 20 Trendiest restaurants.
