Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ed Case
Ed Case
The First Steps: Up to 1969 at the news, having harboured ideas that his son
would study for a more professional career;
The initial desire David attended the Glasgow Hotel School (now
David Levin was born and grew up in the close the Scottish Hotel School, University of
Jewish community of Pollokshields, a leafy suburb Strathclyde). The Hotel School proved to be a
of Glasgow, Scotland, the son of an electrical reprise of David’s experience of school, boring
wholesaler. Home life was comfortable but and irrelevant. From his brief time working at the
constraining and the young boy longed to escape Central Hotel, he was only too aware that
its confines. He resented school and admits to learning how to unblock a vacuum cleaner and
being a difficult student, thinking that it was a 120 ways to prepare potatoes was going to be of
complete waste of time; few of the subjects little practical assistance to him in future years!
taught seemed to have any relevance. Family Hopeful that things would look up when it came
holidays in the resort hotels of Britain after the to the study of wine, he was disappointed to
war provided the young David Levin with his first discover that it involved identifying and learning
glimpse of hotel life and the possibilities that it 35 soil temperatures from the wine growing
offered. He was fascinated by the Hotel Patron; areas around the world.
master of all he surveyed, never accepting
anything less than perfection in order to deliver a A career in hotels
memorable experience for customers. The learning really began for David Levin when
he joined British Transport Hotels (BTH). The
His father and the friends of his father were in company were quick to acknowledge his talent,
business and David grew up understanding the enthusiasm and his knack of knowing what
values of working hard to achieve personal goals. customers wanted and delivering it. As part of a
This led to him seeking work, whilst in his mid- large hotel group, opportunities to be
teens and still at school, at the local Central entrepreneurial in these early years did not
Hotel’s Malmaison restaurant, which very quickly present themselves too readily. However,
reinforced his view that this was not only a experiences were reflected on and analysed, and
world he wanted to be part of, but also the lessons implemented wherever possible.
something at which he could excel. It became his
ambition to not only get into the hotel business, At the age of 27, David rose to be BTH’s
but also to one day own his own luxury hotel. youngest general manager - of the humble
Lochalsh Hotel in the north of Scotland. This
In those days, although there were four-year promotion had all the indications that it was a
apprenticeships for chefs, a career in hotel poisoned chalice. Before his arrival, the Lochalsh
management could only be initiated by a spell at a Hotel was notorious within the company as
Hotel School. Therefore, against the wishes of having the worst food and was indeed the worst
his family, in particular his father who went ‘mad’ performing hotel in the company. However, it
In the village community, David set out to form what he was confident would be a successful
strong bonds with his neighbours, going out of his business. He knew that success would depend on
way to minimise the inconvenience to them from looking after the people round about; providing a
Proposed Timetable:
• January 2005 – Tender published
• June 2005 – Building closes for 18
months
• 2007 – Contract awarded