General Manager Boutique Hotel, Destination Restaurant & Bar
Location: Keswick, Lake District
Salary: £40,000£55,000 (DOE) + Live-in Accommodation + Benefits
We are seeking an exceptional hands-on General Manager with proven success to lead the opening and long-term success of an exciting boutique hotel and destination restaurant/bar in the beautiful Keswick area of the Lake District. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced, entrepreneurial operator to take full ownership of a unique property from its early stages and shape it into a thriving, long-term, year-round destination.
The first phase of the opening will focus on launching a restaurant and bar open to the public, designed to become a destination venue for both locals and visitors to the Lake District. The guest rooms are currently undergoing renovation, with the accommodation element of the business launching in a later phase.
The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in the pre-opening, team building and commercial development of the property, working closely with the director while having genuine autonomy in the day-to-day running of the business. Importantly, the operator behind the project has ambitious plans for growth. The success of this first venture is expected to lead to further investment in additional properties, creating exciting future opportunities and progression for the right individual as the portfolio expands.
The Role
As General Manager, you will take full responsibility for the operational and financial performance of the property. The director is looking for someone who will treat the business as if it were their own, bringing energy, commercial awareness and leadership to the operation.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading the pre-opening phase of the restaurant and bar
Recruiting, training and developing a high-performing team
Managing P&L, budgets and financial performance
Driving revenue while maintaining tight control of costs and wastage
Building strong relationships within the local community and tourism sector
Establishing the venue as a year-round destination property
Overseeing the day-to-day running of the business with full accountability
Reporting directly to the director, with regular strategic updates
The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a confident and commercially minded Business Manager who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment.
You will ideally have:
Experience as a General Manager in a boutique hotel with a busy destination restaurant and bar operation.
Strong financial and commercial acumen
Proven experience building and leading teams
A hands-on leadership style with a passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences
The confidence to make decisions and take ownership
Ideally, experience running or managing a similar independent business
Whats on offer
Salary: £40,000 £55,000 + Live-in accommodation (1-bed suite suitable for either a single manager or a couple)
The opportunity to lead a boutique hospitality concept from launch
Future progression opportunities as the operator may look to expand into additional properties
If youre a passionate General Manager looking for a long-term opportunity and the chance to build and run a business as your own, wed love to hear from you!
Hesketh James is proud to be committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all individuals, regardless of background or personal characteristics.
Due to the anticipated high level of interest, we will contact shortlisted candidates within 72 hours of application. If you do not hear from us within this time, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.
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