David Bailey admits he didn’t know which way to turn career-wise as a teenager.

Becoming an architect, working on a cruise ship, joining the Royal Navy – just three of the options he considered.

And then a former chef on the original Queen Mary suggested he should take a two-year catering course at The Bournemouth & Poole College.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“I’m a people person and I just loved it,” said David, who was born in Bournemouth and attended Ferndown Upper School.

“Not the kitchen side – I didn’t enjoy being stuck in there – but out in the restaurant, meeting and serving people.

“The great thing about hospitality is that you can go in with no qualifications and still have the most fantastic career.

“I just wish that a career in hospitality in this country is viewed in the same way as it is in other countries where it’s regarded as a highly skilled profession.”

After successfully completing his diploma course at The College, David – who achieved some of the top results in the country – turned down the offer of a place at the then Wallisdown Polytechnic to start work in earnest.

“I’d had enough of studying and wanted to get out in the real world,” he said.

After working as Assistant Manager in a carvery restaurant for five years, which also involved covering for colleagues across the south coast, David joined the hotel industry.

His first role was as Assistant Manager of the leisure club at The Dormy in Ferndown, owned by De Vere Hotels, before moving over to the hotel side.

It was the late 80’s and business was booming.

David said: “Companies had huge budgets and we were packed out with conferences and events.

“It was a lovely hotel.

“I made the mistake of going back after it had closed but I wish I hadn’t.

“Seeing the building in the state it was – and remembering how it was when I was there – was incredibly hard.”

David had plans to open a restaurant in Lower Parkstone but decided to apply for a job as Assistant Manager at Bournemouth’s Hotel Miramar.

As a boy he was enthralled by the hotel’s distinctive features, covered in Virginia Creeper, as his Dad drove along East Overcliff Drive.

“I badgered my father to take me to dinner there. I was totally fascinated by the building,” he said.

Who would guess that, after deciding to abandon his plans to open a restaurant, the Miramar – Spanish for ‘view of the sea’ – would become the focus of his career for the next 27 years?

A few years after joining the hotel in 1990, David was appointed General Manager when the Miramar and two sister establishments, were placed in receivership.

They stayed in receivership for more than four years.

He retained the GM’s position when Robert and Mary Blakemore acquired the hotel in 1997 and was promoted to Director in 2001.

The Blakemore family are still owners of the Miramar, which was converted into a hotel in 1920.

For many guests David was ‘Mr Miramar’.

He was regarded as the perfect host – welcoming, warm, attentive and impeccably turned out.

“It’s a wonderful hotel and I had many happy years, and many happy memories, working there,” said David.

At the age of 56 he stepped down from his role to join his sister in looking after his elderly mother.

But his work in the hospitality sector was far from over with his decades of experience put to good use.

Firstly, as Chair of BH Area Hospitality Association and, more recently, Chair of BCP Council’s Destination Management Board as well as a Director of the Coastal BID.

His close association with the Bournemouth Air Festival also continues as Ambassador of the festival’s Patron’s Club and he retains his links with the Bournemouth Lucerne Twinning Association.

With his overarching view of the industry, David says he is “absolutely confident” that the hospitality sector in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will bounce back big time when the current restrictions are lifted.

He said: “We are very fortunate to have some incredibly professional operators.

“The past year has been horrendous but they’ve spent this time investing in their product.

“It means that when they do reopen our visitors will be welcomed back with a fresh and very exciting offer.

“Without doubt there is a pent-up demand, especially from those who’ve been able to put money in the bank over the last year.

“They can’t wait to return to our hotels, bars and restaurants and I’ll think we’ll see a huge explosion.

“It can’t come soon enough.”