'Hard-working' and 'enterprising' Boston hotel manager who started as bar helper honoured for support role

Dominic Solesbury, of The White Hart Hotel, has been named Support Person of the Year by the Boston-based Coaching Inn Group.

He collected the honour at a special awards ceremony held at the historic Coombe Abbey hotel in Warwickshire.

Dominic joined the business in 2012, aged 18, straight from school. ‘He’s a polite lad. I think we can train him!’ were the interviewer’s words, the group said.

He began by helping out in the bar at The Talbot Hotel, in Oundle, in North Northamptonshire, before gradually working up to the level of general manager, initially at The Golden Lion, in St Ives, in 2018.

He received his award for a roving role which involves him providing support as the group rolls out its new acquisition programme across the country.

“I love all the variety and challenges of my support role, working closely with colleagues, and I can’t believe I will have been with the group for 10 years next month,” he said.

The award is not the only cause for celebration in Dominic’s life at the moment, for he and wife Lucy, who he met while she was also working at The White Hart, have welcomed into their lives baby son Max.

Kevin Charity, chief executive officer of the group, which now operates 24 hotels and inns across the country, said: “Dom is a shining example of what a hard-working and enterprising young person could achieve within the catering and hotel industry.”