Activities

Forestdale Hotels is a privately-owned collection of three-star hotels spread across the United Kingdom, with one property in north-west France.

The individual hotels, many of them historic properties, range in size from 34 bedrooms (the Norfolk Arms in Sussex) to 145 bedrooms (Carrington House hotel in Bournemouth). With key business destinations such as Bristol, Nottingham, Cambridge and Winchester, there are also major leisure destinations including The New Forest, Bath, Bournemouth and the Cotswolds.

The group was set up by sole proprietor Robin Collins, who started building his empire in 1958 with a restaurant in Tunbridge Wells. Although the Forestdale name was not adopted until 1978, its current form can be traced back to the acquisition of the Forest Park in Hampshire in 1968. Forest Park, a former vicarage that has operated as a hotel since 1902, is the oldest hotel in the portfolio.  

Timeline

• 1958: On New Year’s Eve, Robin Collins opens Pantiles Grill in Tunbridge Wells, which he sells six years later.
• Early 1960s: The Mount Ephraim hotel in Tunbridge Wells, the Audrey restaurant in Winchester and the Tudor Rose restaurant in Tonbridge join the line-up. In 1964 Collins buys Frimley hotel in Camberley (which he sells in 1970).
• 1968: Collins buys Forest Park, which is the oldest hotel in the current line-up. 
• 1970s: The Grand hotel at Lyndhurst (now Lyndhurst Park) and Burley Manor join the fold in 1970, followed by the Norfolk Arms hotel in Sussex in 1977. The Forestdale Hotels name is adopted in 1978 and the acquisition of Southern Counties Hotels in 1979 adds the Royal (now Southampton Park) and Pratt’s hotel in Bath to the growing line-up.
• 1980s: Four new hotels – Moorland Links (1982), Boship Farm hotel (1984), Wessex hotel (1986) and Stratton House (1989) – raise the group tally to ten properties.
• 1990s: Forestdale buys the Shillingford Bridge hotel in 1990. In 1996 it moves into France with the acquisition of the Touring Hotel near Alençon.
• 2001: Ardsley House hotel, which includes a health club and conference centre, becomes Foresdale’s 13th hotel.
• August 2002: In its biggest transaction to date, Forestdale buys 10-strong Zoffany Hotels for £25.5m. As part of the deal, it sells four hotels to the Zoffany shareholders’ new vehicle, Zola Hotels. This leaves Forestdale with the Rutland Square, Royal Cambridge, Roebuck, Goddard Arms, Arnos Manor, Forest Park and Carrington House hotels.
• May 2005: Forestdale buys Winchester Royal hotel from Marston Hotels for around £3m.
• January 2006: Sold Boship Farm Hotel
• September 2006: Forestdale buys Blackwell Grange Hotel from Corus Hotels
• September 2007: Sold Goddard Arms Hotel

Operating data

Number of hotels: 19
Number of employees: more than 1,000

The hotels are company-owned apart from the Norfolk Arms (leased from Duke of Norfolk), the Royal Cambridge (leased from the University) and the Winchester Royal (acquired on a 30-year lease).

Ardsley House, Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Rutland Square, Nottingham
Royal Cambridge, Cambridge
The Roebuck, Ware, Hertfordshire
Stratton House, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Goddard Arms, Swindon, Wiltshire
Arnos Manor, Bristol, Somerset
Pratt's hotel, Bath, Somerset
Shillingford Bridge, Nr. Wallingford, Oxfordshire
Winchester Royal, Winchester, Hampshire
Boship Farm, Hailsham, East Sussex
Norfolk Arms, Arundel, West Sussex)
Lyndhurst Park, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Forest Park, Brockenhurst, Hampshire
Burley Manor, Burley, Hampshire
Southampton Park, Southampton, Hampshire
Wessex Hotel, Bournemouth, Dorset
Carrington House, Bournemouth, Dorset
Moorland Links, Yelverton, Devon
Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington, County Durham
Touring Hotel, Saint-Leonard-des Bois, France

Strategy

Forestdale Hotels aims to stand out from the crowd by offering a friendly, personal service at the right price for its customers.

Source: Forestdale Hotels

Chief executive

David Larcombe

Key directors

Chairman and sole proprietor: Robin Collins
Chief executive: David Larcombe

Key directors
Financial director: David Lewis
Sales director: Annie Jones
Interior designer: Michael Jenkin

Contact

Lyndhurst Park Hotel
High Street
Lyndhurst
Hampshire
S043 7NL

Tel: 02380 283 114
Fax: 02380 282 127

E-mail: sales@forestdale.com
Website: http://www.forestdale.com

Commentary

Robin Collins gained catering experience in Norway, Austria and the UK (with Trust Houses) before he moved into business for himself in the late 1950s and laid the foundations of Forestdale Hotels.

Forestdale’s desire to be remembered for being different, friendly and personal has won it a loyal following of repeat guests. Many have also visited its single French hotel, which satisfied Collins’ long-held desire to own a property in the country.

Over the years all our properties have been updated and improved to provide all the facilities our guests expect, but at the same time retaining the original character and ambience. Whilst our hotels vary in style and location, they all strive for the same level of customer care, excellent food and service, and most of all Forestdale friendliness, guaranteeing you a welcome that is second to none