Scott Davidson has come back to his home city to take over as general manager for one of the leading hotels in Newcastle.
Davidson has replaced Eric Kortenbach at the four-AA-red-star, 40-bedroom Jesmond Dene House. Kortenbach oversaw the day to day running of the hotel since it first opened in 2005 and has now moved to the Northumberland-based Doxford hall group of hotels.
“Eric has done a great job,” said Davidson. “I’m definitely not changing anything; the quality is here already. The hotel is one I’ve admired since it opened – for its high quality of food and service.”
Scott started his career in the hospitality industry when he was 17 when he started work as a waiter. He then won a scholarship to train at the Savoy Group in London and has worked at many hotels in the North East including Newcastle’s County Thistle and Vermont hotels, Linden Hall in Northumberland, and Darlington’s Wynyard Hall. After a short time at Darlington’s Bannatyne Hotel, Davidson decided to move back to his hometown of Newcastle.
Managing director of the hotel, Peter Candler, said: “Eric helped establish our hotel’s reputation for real quality and attention to detail, and we are indebted to his skill and dedication. It’s a great base for Scott to build on. What we like about Scott is his down-to-earth warmth, openness and his clear passion for hospitality in the true sense of the word.”
Jesmond Dene House won AA Hotel of the Year for England 2008-09 and won the accolade of North East Tourism Small Hotel of the Year 2008.