There are humans behind the services we provide, and each and every one of us in the Future Inns family is concerned. We worry about the health of ourselves, friends and family, and of course for the longevity of the crisis.

Future Inns remains open, and running as normally as we can. Like many industries, the majority of us, the employees, are unable to work from home. Our roles have always been customer-focused, whether that be greeting guests on arrival to serving tea, prosecco or food in the restaurants. Some go unseen too; office staff, the housekeepers and Chefs – who have always been commended for the cleanliness of our establishments.

As a team, we have all banded together, increasing the frequency of our cleaning and procedures. Not only to guest bedrooms and public areas but to the back of house locations. The safety of our guests has always been a priority, but more so over the last few weeks. You can read more on our policy here.

One team, together

The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, another word you are probably over-familiar with by now. Hotels are in a unique situation. We are reliant on the income of travellers who are increasingly cancelling their bookings, partially due to government advice to stay at home, and partly due to fear of the unknown illness which nobody wants to risk contracting.

Daily and in some cases hourly we are hearing that old colleagues and friends in other establishments are closing their doors for the foreseeable future. With uncertain financial relief procedures from the UK Government, or ever-changing policies, it does leave us with a great sense of fear. It is always a worry if we can pay bills, support loved ones, or even know that you can be on hand to support your local community. Some staff members are still recovering from the recent flood damage, especially in our Cardiff hotel. 

Saying that, we cannot abandon those who are staying with us. Currently, we have guests who are front line staff and need to be close to their hospital, police station or supermarket. They relish the quiet of our bedrooms after busy days on the front line. We also have guests self-isolating because they have vulnerable people at home. As well as those who just want to be near to their families.

Keeping it local

Many people forget that Future Inns is a local company. We are independent, and full of staff living and fuelling their local economy in Cardiff, Bristol and Plymouth. Not only that, we have also always worked with local companies, whether that be food and drink suppliers, maintenance firms, stationery, printers, window cleaners, cleaning supplies, fresh flower arrangements, and educators for our first aid, health and safety and food hygiene courses.

For example, in Plymouth alone, we get fresh fish from Rex Down in Sutton Harbour, MC Kelly from Elston Farm for our Devonshire Meats and Tamar Fresh who work with local producers all over Devon and Cornwall.

Not forgetting the local advertising businesses we have built incredible relationships with; such as Style of the City and Wales Online, Bristol 24/7, OM Plymouth and What’s On in Plymouth, to name just a few.  

Again, there are people behind the business name, and all have been completely understanding when we send a reduced food order, buying fewer barrels of beer, or moving things to later in the year. It is our sincerest wish or desire that we didn’t have to do so.

Keep calm, and carry on

So, what can you do to support us? Here are some of our suggestions:

Make Future Plans

• You could book an afternoon tea, Sunday lunch or dinner to celebrate a missed birthday or belated Mother’s Day celebration for later in the year.
• Plan that romantic getaway, girls/guys weekend away or a family break.
• Book your Christmas party, Christmas Day Lunch or New Year’s celebration.
• Start planning your big day. Not sure where to start? We have some great tips on our wedding blog.
• Will your company need a staff debrief when we are back to normality? Plan your next conference with the day delegate and residential packages.

What you can do right now

• Need a quiet space to work in? We are offering day rates. Use one of our large spacious bedrooms which have a desk and workspace, soft seating area, lots of natural daylight, tea and coffee facilities, bottled water, free WiFi, free parking, free local phone calls, private bathroom with vegan-friendly soap and toiletries, TV with Freeview, compassionate staff that are available 24 hours a day and we can deliver hot, fresh food to your door.
• If you want to distance yourself from your loved ones, or need a change of scenery, stay the night. Booking directly always guarantees you the best rates.
• Sign up to Future Rewards. You’ll get a drink on us when you visit us next. You earn points on all overnight stays, and double points when you dine in the restaurant. Points do mean prizes, and you can use them for room upgrades or even a free night’s stay.
• Put a smile on someone’s face with a gift voucher. We all need cheering up at the moment, but if there is someone who is particularly down or anxious, having something to look forward too will keep them positive. Our gift experiences are varied from overnight stays to dining packages or even monetary amounts.
• Enter one of our amazing competitions.

All of our services can be found on our website, which is always kept up to date, including our special offers. Our Reservations, Reception and Meetings and Events Teams are available to answer your questions on the phone or on email. Future Inns remains open and running as normally as we can.  

Best wishes to you all, stay safe, loved and well, and we look forward to welcoming you to Future Inns soon.