They’re the people who keep BCP’s multi-million pound hospitality sector running everyday, and last night they gained some well-deserved recognition.

Returning for their third year, The BH Area Hospitality Association (BAHA) Recognition Awards, sponsored by Booking.com and NFU Mutual with support from Bournemouth Coastal BID, recognise the staff who work in hotels across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

More than 150 staff from all the different hotel departments as well as 50 sponsors and partners from businesses across the area were in attendance.

Held at Bournemouth’s Cumberland Hotel, the evening kicked off with a reception with drinks from various suppliers including locally-based Shanty Spirits and Midas Prosecco along with popcorn and candy floss.

BAHA decided to theme this year’s ceremony, deciding on ‘At The Circus’.

To bring the theme to life, BAHA took on Hollie Exton from Aella Productions as Creative Director who kept guests on their toes all night with her team of entertainers ranging from Hula Hoop girls to dancers and west end singers to a magician.

Hollie said: “it is my absolute delight to be asked to be part of these growing awards and deliver first class entertainment”.

Andy Brennan returned to host the awards for the second year running, commenting: “It’s great to have hosted these awards for a 2nd year running. Hoteliers certainly know how to party!

“Its always great to see so many smiling faces as I announce the winners and runners up.”

Tim Seward, Chair of BH Area Hospitality Association

For all three years the awards have been running, Tim Seward has held the position of BH Area Hospitality Association Chair, with this being his final ceremony before he steps down in March 2024.

He said: “I’m pleased to see these awards grow from strength to strength, with 2023 seeing the largest number of entries to date.

“There were so many nominations that we could only invite sponsors and finalists to the ceremony.

“Although this will be my last Recognition Awards as Chair, I feel honoured and privileged to have worked with so many hotels, sponsors, partners, staff and individuals over the past three years to make the awards what they are today.

The full results from the BH Area Hospitality Association Recognition Awards 2023 are:

(All images by Paul Collins/PC Visuals)

Waiter/Waiteress sponsored by TM Recycling GmbH

Winner  – Clare Rice – Captains Club Hotel

Runner up – Chantelle Lewis – The Kings Arms

Runner up – Maria Maliza Caiza – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Phil Weeks – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

HR/Administration/Accounts sponsored by Ellis Jones Solicitors

Winner – Terri Ann Drury – Marsham Court Hotel

Runner up – Kimmie Dugmore – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Claise Fernandes – Ibis Styles

Reservations & Revenue sponsored by Charminster Dry Cleaners

Winner – Larissa Sucher – Hilton Hotel Bournemouth

Runner up – Bettina Laszlo – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Dale Clark – Oceana Hotels

Assistant/Duty Manager sponsored by The Coffee Bean Company

Winner – Dominic Morrant – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Sara Pereira – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up  – Gaia Alessia Sconza – Marsham Court Hotel

Spa/Pool sponsored by UMC Air Conditioning

Winner – Michelle Dougan –  Carlton Hotel – (Arcadia Spa)

Runner up – Francesca Chiloiro – Ocean Beach Hotel

Maintenance sponsored by Waste Management Facilities

Winner – Roman Alania – Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel

Runner up – Bart Gad – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Russell Beck – Hotel Miramar

Runner up – Marek Slomka – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

Night Staff sponsored by Greenwing Energy Solutions

Winner – Gabor Konya – Carlton Hotel

Runner up – Sergio Syriopoulos – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Bar Person sponsored by Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf

Winner – Abid Zaman – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Cameron Martin – Hermitage Hotel (Neo)

Runner up – Tania Romeira – Riviera Hotel

Kitchen Porter sponsored by China Stack Catering Equipment ltd

Winner – Peter Scott – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

Runner up – Peter Williams – Green House Hotel

Runner up – Les Stokes – Marsham Court Hotel

Housekeeping sponsored by Clean Linen & Workwear

Winner – Mark White – Hotel Miramar

Runner up  – Hannah Davis – Carlton Hotel

Runner up – Agnieszka MacIntyre – Green House Hotel

Runner up – Edyta Szymanska – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Head Chef /Sous Chef sponsored by County Foods

Winner – Andy Hilton Green House Hotel

Winner – Daniel Turner – The Kings Arms

Chef de Partie/Commis Chef sponsored by Comax

Winner – Freddy Martinez – Hotel Miramar

Runner up – Silvia Passera – Marsham Court Hotel

Runner up – Tyrome Richards – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Reception sponsored by Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce

Winner – Vicki Hall – Orchid Hotel

Runner up – Michael Shoesmith – Riviera Hotel

Runner up – Melissa Sheehy – Hotel Miramar

Runner up – Cherry Morris – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

Sales Manager sponsored by A-One Insurance group

Winner – Ashlie Hayes – Marsham Court Hotel

Runner up – Martine Williams – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Lisa Dowdall Sousa – Oceana Hotels

Runner up – Hannah Attwater – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

Deputy/Operations Manager sponsored by Harvest Fine Foods

Winner – Simone Raganella – Christchurch Harbour Hotel 

Runner up – Hollie Leyshon-Caines – Hampton by Hilton

Runner up – Zakaria Abdalla – Cumberland Hotel

Runner up – Amy Thomas – Hermitage Hotel

Restaurant Manager sponsored by Cater Elite

Winner – Dimitraki Korda – Hotel Miramar

Runner up – Jan Mazag – The Kings Arms

Runner up – Pat Clarke  – Marsham Court Hotel

Exceptional Customer Service sponsored by Booking.com

Winner – Francis Mccorry – Cumberland Hotel

Runner up  – Jithin Shaji – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Runner up – Marianna Matias – Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel

Best Supported Intern of the Year sponsored by SWRAC

Winner – Alex Drury – Marsham Court Hotel

Winner – Ben Langford – Carlton Hotel

Hospitality Apprentice sponsored by Event Temps

Winner – Lola Cook – Hotel Collingwood

Runner up – Noah Campbell-Wynter – Captains Club Hotel

Rising Star sponsored by NFU Mutual

Winner – Gemma Pearce – Orchid Hotel

Winner – Jess Goodwin – Marsham Court Hotel

Runner up – George Jones – Christchurch Harbour Hotel

Events Operations sponsored by Bidfood

Winner – Sam Wickens – Captains Club Christchurch

Runner up – Edward Pickering – Oceana Hotels

Runner up – Wesley Funnell – Oceana Hotels

Student Awards

Bournemouth & Poole College 

Winner – Jonathan Gilman

Runner up – Laura Ribeiro

Bournemouth University

Winner – Rohan Singh – Hampton by Hilton

Winner – Jagadeesh Reddy Cheruvu – Highcliffe Marriott Bournemouth

Runner up – Ellie Hawkins – Hotel Collingwood

Special Awards for 2023

Career Progression sponsored by Bournemouth Coastal BID

Winner – Eliseu Procopio – Carlton Hotel

Winner – Murad Abdali – Holiday Inn Bournemouth

Contribution to BH Area Hospitality Association 2022/2023

Winner – Yannic Kaiser