LOCKDOWN LEADER: Accor Hotels
Hotels in the UK have been forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic however they can open to accommodate those in crisis, such as the homeless, or those fighting the crisis, such as NHS and key workers – true, compassionate hospitality for those in need.
The French multinational hospitality company Accor is one such company, having opened more than 80 hotels in the UK to provide healthcare professionals, key workers and disadvantaged people with a place to stay, via their franchises such as ibis Styles, Mercure, Novotel and Adagio.
The drive has included the Mercure Wigan providing 25 rooms for homeless people; the Ibis Glasgow making 104 rooms available for asylum seekers; the Novotel Southampton making 50+ rooms available for NHS professionals; the Mercure Norwich housing essential offshore workers; along with Multiple Heathrow hotels supporting Home Office repatriation of Brits.
Accor is also working in conjunction with local authorities, NHS Trusts and charities to help combat the virus, including supporting Project Nightingale, the new pop-up hospital at ExCeL London; Novotel London Excel is providing front line NHS workers with accommodation while they working at the new field hospital, while others Accor hotels in the Excel area have pledged to support NHS staff as and when. Potential bases include ibis London Excel Docklands, ibis Styles London Excel, ibis London Canning Town, ibis London Docklands Canary Wharf and Novotel London Canary Wharf.
Said Thomas Dubaere, COO Accor Northern Europe: “We are proud to accommodate the NHS and front line health workers who are working tirelessly to keep our communities safe, provide care to patients and stem the flow of COVID-19… By offering hospitality and comfortable space to those in need we can help take the pressure off local hospitals and our community and help stem the spread of this global crisis.”