From work experience to Area Director
Meet Matthew Raistrick, our Area Director of The Victoria & Belmont Hotels in Sidmouth who has been part of Brend Hotels for the past 30 years.
Matthew completed his hospitality degree at Blackpool College, part of which was a six-month industry placement at The Victoria Hotel in 1984. After completing his studies and making such a good impression, Matthew was offered a position as Junior Assistant Manager at Saunton Sands Hotel in 1985.
After experiencing a few other roles in different Brend Hotels, Matthew returned to Sidmouth in July 1987 where has never looked back! Matthew was promoted through various managerial roles before his hard work and dedication to the company earned him the title Area Director in 2010.
“I started work at Brend hotels in 1985 at Saunton Sands, my Dad had worked for a family business all his life and he said to me at the time he thought I had made the right choice.
Over the years I’ve worked with and been supported by some fantastic, dedicated colleagues both at the hotels and at our head office and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing so many of our loyal guests return year after year.
There have been some challenges along my career none more so than the last 18 months, but I have always had the support of the Brend family and feel privileged to have worked so closely with Mr John Brend for so many years.
The Brend family invest heavily back into the hotels, and I particularly enjoy seeing a bedroom or public room transformed by our hard-working and skilled maintenance team and our interior design department, none more so than our stunning new Berties bar at the Victoria.” Matthew Raistrick, Area Director