A former chief executive and business owner has come out of retirement to launch a new career in the hospitality and catering industry.

59-year-old Andy Goodson from Bowness has taken on a new full time role with English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues.

And in contrast to the high level pressure and long hours of executive life and business management from his earlier career, Andy is now working as a ‘meet and greet’ member of staff at at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa near Windermere.

When Andy retired, he quickly realised that he missed the buzz of being around people in the working environment.  He didn’t want another senior post but saw the chance to work at the spa resort in a customer facing service environment which suited him down to the ground.

“I love the meet and greet role,” says Andy.  “You talk to people from all walks of life and can get their life story in a matter of minutes as you get them settled into their accommodation.

“I’ve always been a people person and retirement wasn’t really for me quite just yet.  Every day I still draw upon my previous experiences and skills, and I’m passionate about creating the right environment for our guests.  I’m also enjoying working with like minded colleagues who always seek to do their best.”

Andy was previously the chief executive officer at My Space Housing Solutions and in later years ran his own business, Goodson Coaching, as a personal performance and business coach trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).  A lot of his work has involved coaching and developing employees and clients for leadership roles.

Michelle Croukamp, personnel manager at English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says:  “Andy’s experience as a leader and personal performance coach, plus his natural affinity for working with people, shines through with his approach to both colleagues and guests.  He’s enjoying his time here and his approach to customer service is exemplary.”

English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues is currently recruiting for new team members across a range of hospitality industry disciplines.  To find out more about available jobs and to apply, visit https://englishlakes.co.uk/jobs/