Enda Rylands
Following my studies at the school for hospitality management at Southbank University I started my career with Principal Hotels quickly becoming an Assistant F&B Manger in a large 3 corporate and leisure hotel. After 4 years I wanted a fresh challenge and to experience a higher quality of hotel and took on a Restaurant Management role at the iconic Midland Hotel in Manchester under the Crowne Plaza brand.
After 3 amazing years I was ready for a step up to senior management and joined progressive Scottish Hotel company Crerar Hotels as Deputy Manager of their largest property which was in Scarborough, a few years later my first General Manager opportunity came at the companies flagship hotel in Edinburgh.
Further GM positions in Scarborough and Leeds followed eventually leading me to the Ramada Hotel in Southport in 2010. The hotel was operated by Then Hospitality and within 2 years I took on additional responsibility as Are Manager for the companies 5 hotels north of Birmingham which consisted of 3 Holiday Inn Express hotels and a boutique hotel in Liverpool. This was a great insight into how the biggest international brands operated and I was part of Wyndham Hotels owners marketing group for the UK as well as representing owners at various IHG forums throughout the UK.
In the middle of 2015 I was approached to take full responsibility of the Ramada Plaza, Southport reporting direct to the hotels owner with a clear strategy to reduce debt and prepare hotel for sale of the lease that was held. Within 18 months debts had been cleared and a successful sale completed.
I remained with the new owners of the hotel working on a strategy to acquire the freehold interest in the hotel and surrounding buildings and then taking on the management contract for the adjacent convention centre. This was all achieved and I assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer for the Waterfront responsible for all elements of the business.
This gave me a real buzz and I loved this change in focus although very much still retained my emphasis on the customer experience that is essential in hospitality.
From 2019 through strong referral network I was able to take on clients and assist them with there hospitality assets which allowed me to create EPR Hospitality.