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If you want to build a hotel, you
need engineers, but do you really

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want them running
the place afterwards?

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Well, that's the plan for
one very optimistic Kerry family.

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They need help, and that
is a gross understatement.

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I know that the Brennans are going
to come in and tell us that we have

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no experience in running
a hotel, because we don't.

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That's the simple fact.

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Meet the O'Carrolls, mum Norma, Dad
Tony and their sons, Thomas, Paul and
Anthony.

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A tight knit family taking a big
step way outside their comfort zone.

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Our family business is in joinery,
in cabinetry and stone fabrication,

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but this is venturing, I suppose,
into something a little bit unknown.

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Well, that's to say the least!

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They've demolished an old bar
in the middle of Tralee and built

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themselves a brand
new hotel with 26 bedrooms.

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We've gone through several different
aspects of what it's going to take

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to run it, and it's
just a complete minefield.

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A minefield it certainly is,
and they have no clue what they're

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getting into.

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It might be a big chunk to bite
off, but look, let's see how we go.

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I have just one simple
little question, right?

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Why are you doing it?

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Back in 2015, the O'Carrolls bought
this derelict building in Tralee
town.

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After several years of
planning, they cleared the site.

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Then after Covid, they got to
work building a brand new five-storey

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hotel from scratch.

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I'm Paul O'Carroll.

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I'm the eldest in the family, and my
background is in accountancy, so I'm

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the financial controller for
the company, I'm the numbers man.

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So I've been the one tearing my hair
over the last three years watching

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the cost of materials
go through the roof.

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I'm Anthony, I'm
the youngest in the family.

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I'm the half twin to Thomas, so
I'm only the youngest by about six

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minutes, but the
youngest, nonetheless.

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My degree is in aeronautical
engineering, so I don't know

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does that help me in terms of
building a hotel or running a hotel

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or anything like that?

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My name is Thomas,
I'm the middle brother.

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I'm the older twin with Anthony.

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I'm a qualified engineer.

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I worked in different industries,
so it was electronic, mechanical
engineering.

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So I'm the site engineer
and project supervisor for the

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construction stage of the hotel.

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So that involves ensuring that
everything is installed in the right

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position, making sure that
the concrete is correct newton.

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Ensuring that all the steel is
installed correctly, down to pipe

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work installed correctly
and in the correct location.

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From a very early age, Thomas was,
you could say the doer, Anthony was

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the thinker, and then Paul was
always there to oversee what was
going on.

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They were always very close and very
involved in what they were doing

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with each other.

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The O'Carrolls already have a rock
solid business down the coast, about

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half an hour away, where they make
granite, quartz and marble worktops

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and bespoke commercial furniture.

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We've done a lot of hotel fit-outs,
bar and restaurant fit-outs and
everything.

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That's what we're good at, but
we haven't done any running of the
hotel.

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Here we're doing the
whole lot from top to bottom.

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The next step is going to be to
open the hotel, to run the hotel,

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and look, we'll put our hands
up, we haven't done that yet.

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A lot of the job that we're told,
hospitality, is actually just being

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there, being seen, smiling,
you know, meet the guests.

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I mean, that's
what they've come for.

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We would love to be
open for the Rose of Tralee.

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We could make it with a push, but
it's quickly, quickly coming at us.

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You would be worried that Brennans
coming in, what they're going to
say.

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Of all the shows we've ever done,
this is the one that baffles me,

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because I wouldn't open a
quarry tomorrow in a million years,

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because I know nothing about it.

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I know the Brennans are going to
come in and say that we're out of

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our minds and that we don't have
any experience in running a hotel.

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They've never served a
cup of coffee in their lives,

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never mind run a hotel.

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We've had people come in and say,
Oh, why didn't you do this here,

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or why didn't you do that there?

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But like all of these changes have
major consequences to the timeline

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and to cost as well, I suppose.

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All of them want to be involved in
the operation, and none of them have
experience.

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So, personally speaking,
I think it's all for the birds.

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Yeah.

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Nicely built.

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Yeah, it fits
into the site very well.

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It's very nicely built.

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How do you get in?
Through that door there?

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Another door there.
More stuff in there.

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There's a big door around here.

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There's five doors.

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Oh yeah, here, look.
John!

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Oh here, we're here Fran.

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How are you?
I'm good now.

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Good, nice to be here indeed.

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Hello.
How are you doing?

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Now, we'll get
you suited and booted.

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Nobody allowed here
without being fully dressed.

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Yeah, a lovely white hat anyway.

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Right now the building
is still just a shell.

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The plan is to create a reception
area next to the bar on the ground
floor.

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With 26 bedrooms upstairs.

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A restaurant in the basement.

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And a retail unit at street level.

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These guys might know their granite,
but running a hotel is much harder.

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Before Francis and I address the big
picture, it's time to see the blank
canvas.

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You have a lovely, clean site.

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Yeah, isn't it very tidy John?
Very neat, yeah.

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And your wiring.
Hello, boys.

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How are you?
How are we doing?

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So what's this area here?

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So this is the main bar, so this is
the main public space downstairs.

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And you have a door
going out onto the street.

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That's one of the doors.

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Okay, so can we see this on
plan, so we understand it, it's much

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easier to read it.
Do you want to come with me?

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Lead the way.

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Normally, I love a blueprint, but
already I can see a problem with this
one.

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So obviously, this is the bar
here, okay, I want to park that for a
moment.

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What happens here
then, what's this space here?

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This space is a retail unit, so it's
ideally suited for, say, a small

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shop or something like that.

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And financially, is
that crucial to your plans?

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We see it as a unit,
basically, to generate revenue.

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Yes, yeah, like we had played with
maybe moving reception there, but

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reception doesn't generate you,
doesn't generate any revenue down
the road.

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Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

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No, no, no, absolutely not.

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Reception generates the ambience
that gets the guests through the

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front door, that gives them the
first impression, that knocks them

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for dead the minute they
arrive, if the thing is right.

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Reception's down here, correct?
Yeah.

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And this is the
potential area in here?

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Exactly.
We might have a look at this.

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God it's a fine space, isn't it?

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It's a great space.

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It's a great vantage point
here, coming up the street.

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There's great light in here.

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There's a really nice
welcome for a hotel, isn't it?

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It is, yeah.

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I'm delighted you agree with me.

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You need to make
it feel like a hotel.

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What you have at the minute is
bedrooms over a bar with a small

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little counter at the end.

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And you need to get that luxury feel
into it, because that gives you a

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premium, if it's only 5, 10, 15
euros a night a room premium, over a

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year that's a lot of money.

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Right Francis, we'll go to the
bedrooms now on the first floor.

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Very good, isn't there
lovely natural light here?

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It is, look at that
view out there now as well.

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It's very welcoming.

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Now, it might sound obvious, but
the most important part of any hotel

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bedroom is the bed.

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I just hope they
get the basics right.

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Into this bedroom.

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All right.
Nice, spacious room.

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Oh, now, are you doing
all the bed bases like this?

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Yeah, so all our bed frames are
sitting at home in the workshop.

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They're ready to go in really,
we just need a bit of manpower.

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And are they on wheels now?

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No, they'd be on pads.
On pads.

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Housekeeping will be delighted,
as long as they can move the beds

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easy, they're quite happy.
Yes, yeah.

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The basement is a big
space, but it's a basement,

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and therein lies the problem.

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Too big and awkward, if you ask me.

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Do you see this then
as breakfast and occasional...

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This could potentially also be a
restaurant, you know, for maybe a

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couple of walk-ins, but more so for
the residents who are staying here

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in the hotel.
Okay, okay, not a hope.

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I'll tell you, it's very difficult
to get people to stay, eat in a town

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hotel that they're staying in,
unless it's a signature restaurant,

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very, very difficult, because you
come to cities and you come to towns

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to stay in a location, and
then you'll go out to a restaurant

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someplace, which is part of the
experience, to get them into a room

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like this, would be difficult.

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This is fantastic for breakfast.

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This is fantastic for small groups,
for funeral lunches, for baptisms,

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divorces, separations,
small wedding, all those things.

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Interesting angles, interesting
spaces, not as a restaurant, but as

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an event room and
as a breakfast room, fantastic.

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Well, so much for the grand tour.

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Some pros, some cons.

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But as usual,
it's all in the detail.

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Travelling up this morning now to
Tralee, I wasn't sure about what we

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were going to or what we were going
to see or whatever, but, you know,

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having spent some time with them
there, there's plenty of energy,

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but they do need help.

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I get the vibe up there at
the moment that it is a bar with

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bedrooms over it, but I think
they really want a boutique hotel.

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I'd say their heart is in it, but
I'm not quite sure they know the

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work involved in
running a hotel, like...

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Well how would they?

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I haven't seen
them make a cup of tea.

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Yeah, that's true.

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00:09:44,919 --> 00:09:47,360
And I haven't seen them making
a hundred cup of teas in an hour.

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So it's a very different thing
when the front door opens, where's

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the linen stock for the rooms?

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Who's the housekeeper, a head chef,
a bar manager, reception manager,

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all of those things, of which you
know as well as I know, in the world

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today, it's very hard to get staff.
Absolutely.

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So to open a new hotel like
that with no expertise at the top,

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is a huge challenge.

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00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,599
If we're to be of any use to the
O'Carrolls, myself and John need to

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00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:14,360
get a few things straight.

200
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,080
Let's start with the basics.

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00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:20,839
I have just one simple
little question, right?

202
00:10:20,919 --> 00:10:23,440
Why, are you doing it?

203
00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:30,760
If I said to you now I was going to
open a quarry tomorrow, or dig for

204
00:10:30,839 --> 00:10:34,680
quartz, or whatever it might be,
would you think that would be a bit
unusual?

205
00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,199
It would be, it would be.

206
00:10:38,279 --> 00:10:40,639
We wouldn't go into the quartz
business or the marble business

207
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:42,440
tomorrow, because
we wouldn't have a clue.

208
00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:49,319
So we were told all the time,
just go for a three star and make it
lovely.

209
00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,559
You know, and it'll
run itself, basically.

210
00:10:51,639 --> 00:10:53,400
Who told you that?

211
00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,559
I'd say it was a
cousin of ours who told us.

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00:10:55,639 --> 00:10:58,199
From the day you open,
this business never closes.

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It's 24 hours a day.

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00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,839
So at three o'clock in the morning,
when the guys come back from town

215
00:11:02,919 --> 00:11:05,720
and they forget their
keys, it's you they're phoning.

216
00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,279
So it is a very difficult
business because it never sleeps.

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00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,400
You have a number of decisions to
make, which are very, very serious

218
00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,360
decisions on how you're
going to run the business.

219
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And we see you have three options,
okay, one, you open as you see it

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today, with a reception at the end
of the corridor, with the bar and a

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00:11:25,319 --> 00:11:26,760
retail unit.

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00:11:26,839 --> 00:11:30,519
And you do a credit
card hotel with no frills.

223
00:11:30,599 --> 00:11:33,680
So you have really good rooms,
really good housekeeping, nice

224
00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,360
toiletries, but you actually code
in on your app or your computer, and

225
00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,839
you get your card and you go to the
room, and there's no interaction.

226
00:11:41,919 --> 00:11:45,360
Okay, you do your bar, you can move
into food in the bar over time if

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00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,800
you want, but really it is a
bar with rooms over it, which is

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00:11:49,879 --> 00:11:52,000
actually what you have created.

229
00:11:53,239 --> 00:11:55,720
Did you ever look at a model
that you'd just do room only?

230
00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:58,040
We didn't to be honest.

231
00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,000
We kind of just felt that, you know,
as a hotel, you had to be able to

232
00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,080
offer, you had
to have food offering.

233
00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,440
As a hotel, you have to survive.

234
00:12:07,519 --> 00:12:11,000
Okay, second option is that you
move reception into the retail unit,

235
00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:12,599
forget the retail unit.

236
00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:14,040
Put the reception in there.

237
00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,559
Then you have your hotel entrance,
which is boutique, and then you have

238
00:12:16,639 --> 00:12:19,519
your bar, and you have your food
operation, and you run it as a fully

239
00:12:19,599 --> 00:12:21,639
fledged boutique hotel.

240
00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,919
Third option is that you do that
plan, but you bring in a management

241
00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,839
company to run it, and then
you stand back from operations.

242
00:12:29,919 --> 00:12:33,000
You take a yearly fee, lease, lease
it to somebody that will do whatever

243
00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,239
they want to do with
it, and you take the money.

244
00:12:35,319 --> 00:12:38,959
So you keep the asset, you keep the
hotel, and you have no headache.

245
00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,800
You're in doubt about our
ability to make it a success, yeah.

246
00:12:45,879 --> 00:12:47,800
Don't view that the wrong way.
No.

247
00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:54,800
I mean, everything can
be learned without a doubt.

248
00:12:54,879 --> 00:12:58,160
The problem is, in our
business, day one, it's open.

249
00:12:58,239 --> 00:12:59,800
You need to know it all.
Yeah, exactly.

250
00:12:59,879 --> 00:13:02,919
Because your customer knows it all.
Exactly, like, who's going to open

251
00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,319
it up every morning or on the first
morning, because it's open forever

252
00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,760
then, like, who's
going to be there like that?

253
00:13:09,839 --> 00:13:12,760
So I suppose it's myself and Nancy
are going to take the lead with

254
00:13:12,839 --> 00:13:15,720
looking after the business
once it gets up and running.

255
00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,639
Two bosses isn't right.

256
00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,440
It needs a boss, otherwise Peter
in the bar will say, well, Jimmy

257
00:13:21,519 --> 00:13:26,000
said this, and Harry said
that, and you'd be driven mad.

258
00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:31,000
So one leader is important, and
whether that should be yourselves or

259
00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,040
should be a professional, is
a question mark for yourselves.

260
00:13:37,279 --> 00:13:41,519
I heard it discussed that your
opening date might be around Rose of

261
00:13:41,599 --> 00:13:43,120
Tralee day.

262
00:13:43,199 --> 00:13:47,160
That'd be a big mistake at this
stage, because you're not going to be
ready.

263
00:13:47,239 --> 00:13:49,199
You'll be fighting
against the clock, okay?

264
00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:52,400
And then you'll have a whammy amount
of business and not do it right.

265
00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,760
And that's the worst
thing you could possibly do.

266
00:13:54,839 --> 00:13:59,120
So I think, personally, I'd be
saying, sorry now, but we need to get

267
00:13:59,199 --> 00:14:02,760
a date, because it can run on
forever if you don't actually say

268
00:14:02,839 --> 00:14:07,000
we're opening on the 30th of October,
or whatever it might be, I don't
know.

269
00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,120
So you need to, we need to tie down
a date and work towards it, because

270
00:14:11,199 --> 00:14:15,599
otherwise it just runs on,
and that's not good for anybody.

271
00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,440
Now, dad, what do you think
of all that? Food for thought.

272
00:14:21,519 --> 00:14:23,160
Dad won't say much now.

273
00:14:23,239 --> 00:14:25,559
(Laughter)

274
00:14:25,639 --> 00:14:28,120
No, but you have a lot to talk about.
We have, yes.

275
00:14:28,199 --> 00:14:29,639
Dad is on option three.

276
00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:31,120
Paul is on option one.

277
00:14:31,199 --> 00:14:33,160
Anthony's on option two.

278
00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,120
We have to have a
family conference over this.

279
00:14:38,199 --> 00:14:40,239
I might be the casting vote on this!

280
00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,080
So far, the O'Carrolls have presented
a united front, but this could be the

281
00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,360
one thing that divides them.

282
00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,959
It always amazes me why people
go into this business with no

283
00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:03,760
experience whatsoever.

284
00:15:03,839 --> 00:15:06,000
The O'Carrolls have
us completely baffled.

285
00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,199
Their business is making
worktops and commercial furniture.

286
00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:13,040
None of them have ever worked a day
in their lives in hospitality, and

287
00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:17,519
now they're about to open a 26
bedroom hotel right in the middle of
Tralee.

288
00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:25,120
They thought it would run itself, but
we knew it wouldn't, so we gave them

289
00:15:25,199 --> 00:15:26,519
three options.

290
00:15:26,599 --> 00:15:29,839
One, offer a contactless
service with no reception.

291
00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,680
Two, open a boutique
hotel with all the trimmings.

292
00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:38,279
Or three, lease the place out to
a management company and step away.

293
00:15:40,519 --> 00:15:43,639
A few days later, the
boys are still chewing it over.

294
00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:48,000
It's still very early on the
decision making like so we just need

295
00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:49,639
to trash it out a little bit more.

296
00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:51,279
We need to put a bit
more information into it.

297
00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:54,480
I think look at the figures
more in depth and go from there.

298
00:15:54,559 --> 00:15:58,519
I think the face to face is
essential for that welcoming aspect
of it.

299
00:15:58,599 --> 00:16:01,120
I know you don't mind,
like, just getting your keys,

300
00:16:01,199 --> 00:16:03,720
but for me, coming in the
door, face to face with someone,

301
00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,400
that's extremely important.

302
00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,440
I think option two, it's
like the full bells and whistles.

303
00:16:08,519 --> 00:16:10,680
And I suppose that's
ultimately where we were going.

304
00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,000
For option two, it does need to have
the double doors there, because it

305
00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,319
has to be, it has to be fairly clear
that this is the reception here to

306
00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,199
the left.
Yeah.

307
00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:22,559
But for us to do that, it is a major
change, and it's gonna cost a lot as
well.

308
00:16:22,639 --> 00:16:24,559
Tony will shoot us!

309
00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,800
Because of the size of the hotel,
the number of rooms, I don't think

310
00:16:28,879 --> 00:16:32,800
it's going to be a viable business
for somebody to come in and pay us a

311
00:16:32,879 --> 00:16:36,199
fee for the year and then
also make money themselves.

312
00:16:36,279 --> 00:16:38,120
Maybe we were a bit too emotional
about the whole thing, because we

313
00:16:38,199 --> 00:16:41,480
put so much time and effort into
it, but, you know, I think it would

314
00:16:41,559 --> 00:16:43,760
kill us to lease it out really.

315
00:16:43,839 --> 00:16:46,160
It looks like we still have a lot of
decisions to make, and the Brennans

316
00:16:46,239 --> 00:16:48,120
will be coming quite soon.

317
00:16:48,199 --> 00:16:50,879
So you know, we need to start
making decisions and deciding on

318
00:16:50,959 --> 00:16:52,279
what direction we're going.

319
00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,800
We're not hoteliers, per se, so we
need to work something that's going

320
00:16:55,879 --> 00:17:00,199
to work for us, and it's going to
be good for the guests coming in.

321
00:17:01,919 --> 00:17:06,000
I want to push the boys to make those
decisions as soon as possible, which

322
00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,279
is easier said than done, because
right now, they're more focused on

323
00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:11,400
the furniture than the future.

324
00:17:12,559 --> 00:17:14,319
Hi Anthony.
Hi Francis, how are you?

325
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:15,839
Come on in and
we'll show you a few bits.

326
00:17:15,919 --> 00:17:18,080
Fine big place.
We're glad to have it, yeah.

327
00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:20,199
Will I guess?
I see you spotted it.

328
00:17:20,279 --> 00:17:21,839
Will I guess?
Do.

329
00:17:21,919 --> 00:17:24,319
I presume this is the
bar or counter of some sort?

330
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:25,879
So this the main bar.
Yeah.

331
00:17:25,959 --> 00:17:27,400
What type of wood is that?

332
00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,800
So that's oak, that's
oak stained a dark stain.

333
00:17:29,879 --> 00:17:32,680
We've our black backing then on
it just to kind of bring out the
colour.

334
00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,680
Well, hopefully many a pint...
This is the plan.

335
00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,400
Served out over
it in the time to come.

336
00:17:40,959 --> 00:17:42,879
So now, what have we got here?

337
00:17:42,959 --> 00:17:45,120
These are the handrails
for the stairs. Oh, right.

338
00:17:45,199 --> 00:17:48,680
So we're looking at making
timber work, we'll look after it
ourselves.

339
00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,839
And what sort of timber is it?
This is walnut.

340
00:17:51,239 --> 00:17:52,879
You have it grooved here.

341
00:17:52,959 --> 00:17:55,760
So that's where your handrail
sits into, all these guys, lovely,

342
00:17:55,839 --> 00:17:57,919
intricate, kind
of ends and shapes.

343
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,559
So this is basically where it comes
up from one flight of stairs into...

344
00:18:01,639 --> 00:18:03,720
Yes, right.
You need to go from landings onto...

345
00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:06,040
And coming up the stairs like this?
Yes, yeah.

346
00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:09,000
So now I have a question, of course,
have you made a decision on what way

347
00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,639
to go at the hotel?
Not yet.

348
00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:15,639
We've had a lot of discussions,
we've had crisis talks or EGMs, or

349
00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,199
whatever you want to call them.
You have to make the decision!

350
00:18:18,279 --> 00:18:19,680
I know.
It's essential.

351
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,559
I get them talking.
Come on.

352
00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,720
Francis and I are back in Tralee,
and we gave the boys two weeks to

353
00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,839
make a call, which is more than
enough, because time is money and

354
00:18:33,919 --> 00:18:35,440
it's passing us by.

355
00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,199
Now tell us, have
you come to a decision?

356
00:18:38,599 --> 00:18:42,519
What we've kind of decided is,
it's not quite any of the options.

357
00:18:42,599 --> 00:18:47,680
It's more a hybrid of option one,
where we're moving our reception

358
00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:52,720
from where it is currently to our
unit at the front, but that unit

359
00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,000
then is also going to act as a
reception counter for where you'll

360
00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,239
pick up your key
to get into your room.

361
00:18:59,319 --> 00:19:01,879
Was the reception change unanimous?

362
00:19:02,599 --> 00:19:04,199
I don't think so.

363
00:19:04,279 --> 00:19:07,199
It was, it was, there
was a lot of discussion on it.

364
00:19:07,279 --> 00:19:10,879
The plan is correct, I think, what
you've decided to do, so everyone

365
00:19:10,959 --> 00:19:12,760
should be on board with it.

366
00:19:12,839 --> 00:19:16,519
We're going to have a mobile
check-in, so you'll get a message to

367
00:19:16,599 --> 00:19:19,559
your phone, and you'll do a lot of
the check-in process before you even

368
00:19:19,639 --> 00:19:22,919
arrive, prior to you arriving, so
when you get there, it's just to

369
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,080
pick up a key.

370
00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:26,559
It's hi, how are you doing, you get
that meet and greet, and then you

371
00:19:26,639 --> 00:19:28,040
get your key and away you go.

372
00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:32,040
I think you need to be careful to
get the word out that your room is

373
00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:33,760
not a standard room.

374
00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:35,319
It's not a budget room.

375
00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,000
And the model you're going
with, which is a correct model, is

376
00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,000
perceived to be a budget
model in the marketplace.

377
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,239
And I think you need to put things
in place that when people arrive,

378
00:19:44,319 --> 00:19:46,360
they realize, oh, it's not...

379
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,400
And you also have a quality room
upstairs that dictates that you have

380
00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,959
to give a certain level
of hospitality to the guest.

381
00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:58,160
We have the breakfast
offering, a pick and go option.

382
00:19:58,239 --> 00:20:01,680
You get your coffee, your tea, your
croissant, your pain aux chocolat,

383
00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:06,319
your bowl of cereal, whatever you
want, in our cafe in the morning.

384
00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,720
If that's not to your fancy and
you'd like a hot breakfast, we're

385
00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,559
going to be pointing them in
the direction of a lot of the local

386
00:20:12,639 --> 00:20:14,239
cafes that there.

387
00:20:14,319 --> 00:20:16,480
So that means the breakfast room
downstairs is not a breakfast room at

388
00:20:16,559 --> 00:20:18,639
the moment.
It's been parked for the moment.

389
00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,040
Tell me now, have you come up with
who's going to be the manager, who's

390
00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:22,800
going to run the place?

391
00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:26,120
Now, don't all answer at once!

392
00:20:26,199 --> 00:20:29,040
We haven't got that
far in our discussions.

393
00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,720
There was a lot that we had to
go through after we met you, and I

394
00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,400
suppose the priority was the
rejigging of the floor plans and all

395
00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,000
these things that we had to do.

396
00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:40,599
Have you an opening date now, because
we need to start setting things in
cement.

397
00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,199
To be sure that
we know where we're going.

398
00:20:43,279 --> 00:20:45,440
Yeah, we're looking at November.

399
00:20:45,519 --> 00:20:47,720
We're looking at the 1st of
November as the date we've selected.

400
00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:49,400
30 days had November.

401
00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:54,040
So we're going to have our
rooms, which are superb upstairs.

402
00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:56,000
Okay, we're going to have a nice
check-in facility, and we're going

403
00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:57,360
to have the bar.

404
00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,360
So a lot of work to be done, but
sure, that's why we're all here.

405
00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:00,639
Yeah.

406
00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,919
You know, given their experience, I
think a blend of contactless booking

407
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,440
and quality rooms is
the way to go for them.

408
00:21:06,519 --> 00:21:09,639
But when it comes to hospitality,
they still have an awful lot to
learn.

409
00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,040
So we're taking Paul and Anthony
to the Lansdowne in Kenmare, a hotel

410
00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:18,559
that is about the same size in
a similar location as their own.

411
00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:24,239
Well, boys, good to see you, you're
welcome to Kenmare, you brought the

412
00:21:24,319 --> 00:21:25,919
weather with you.
We did.

413
00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,879
We'll hold on to you till November.

414
00:21:27,959 --> 00:21:30,400
So now I suppose the first thing to
talk to you about is the canopy and

415
00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,199
the entrance, because it
defines the entrance to the hotel.

416
00:21:33,279 --> 00:21:35,959
And like yourselves, we have a door
around the corner as well, which we

417
00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,559
don't highlight, because we want
people to come in this way here.

418
00:21:38,639 --> 00:21:41,120
So you might do something like
this, or you might just do pots.

419
00:21:41,199 --> 00:21:43,120
Yes, yeah.
Come on now, we'll see the rest.

420
00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,400
So this is interesting now, all
right, because this is our bar, and

421
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,199
the philosophy is different, okay?

422
00:21:53,279 --> 00:21:57,160
Because we want a lounge, and
ye want a bar, so there's nothing

423
00:21:57,239 --> 00:21:59,440
wrong with that at all.

424
00:21:59,519 --> 00:22:01,879
But it's just it's a
different mix for a town hotel.

425
00:22:01,959 --> 00:22:03,559
So it's a different approach.

426
00:22:03,639 --> 00:22:05,400
It's whiskey and gin
and tonic kind of a bar.

427
00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:06,839
No, cosmos.
Is it?

428
00:22:06,919 --> 00:22:09,120
Yeah, you have to get with it.
(Laughter)

429
00:22:09,199 --> 00:22:12,839
You know, there's an awful lot of
elements to running a hotel, but it

430
00:22:12,919 --> 00:22:16,199
is important that you understand
that, and that you have some sort of

431
00:22:16,279 --> 00:22:20,199
knowledge of each of them, because
you cannot expect people to work for

432
00:22:20,279 --> 00:22:23,080
you when you don't know
what the job is yourselves.

433
00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,559
So I think it's important when
you're here today, if you got in and

434
00:22:25,639 --> 00:22:28,040
got your hands
dirty, would be no harm.

435
00:22:28,639 --> 00:22:31,199
From spreadsheets to bed sheets.

436
00:22:31,279 --> 00:22:34,080
It's housekeeping
duties for accountant, Paul.

437
00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:38,000
So we just give
a quick dust in here.

438
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:43,279
And earning his barista wings in the
cafe, aeronautical engineer, Anthony.

439
00:22:43,919 --> 00:22:46,680
Would you like to make a coffee?
I would, yeah.

440
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,680
I've been to many coffee shops
and being on this at the counter is
different.

441
00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,199
I've been on the inside of a bar
counter, but this is a little bit

442
00:22:55,279 --> 00:22:56,879
more relaxed, maybe.

443
00:22:58,599 --> 00:23:01,519
But it's, there's
a time pressure on everything.

444
00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:04,959
Well done.
Is that a test?

445
00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,879
The owner is watching
us to see, fair play to you.

446
00:23:08,239 --> 00:23:11,480
Ultimately, when a new staff learner
comes in, it's a rinse and repeat.

447
00:23:11,559 --> 00:23:13,839
It's the same thing and I think
that's key, because one bad cup of

448
00:23:13,919 --> 00:23:16,800
coffee, and you've probably
lost that customer for good.

449
00:23:16,879 --> 00:23:19,919
And what we do is we
give a complimentary cookie.

450
00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:21,639
Does John know that
they're complimentary?

451
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,279
He does indeed, yes, he does know,
because they're made here in the

452
00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:26,120
kitchen by the chefs.

453
00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,080
So after it's stripped, we go
straight into dressing the bed
again.

454
00:23:32,639 --> 00:23:34,000
It's quite hectic.

455
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,959
There's a lot to get done once you
enter the room, but I suppose it's

456
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,080
the big thing is, it's having the
procedure, starting at one side of

457
00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,319
the room, getting around to the
other side of the room, you know,

458
00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,599
making sure that
there's no surface missed.

459
00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,360
The bed is made,
and all the pillows are on.

460
00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,599
And then when you go into the
bathroom, you know, it's like every

461
00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:51,279
surface has to be cleaned.

462
00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:53,440
Towels have to come out,
you've to put new towels in.

463
00:23:53,519 --> 00:23:55,120
So there's quite
a lot to get through.

464
00:23:55,199 --> 00:23:56,800
How are you, Paul,
you're working away.

465
00:23:56,879 --> 00:23:59,120
Hi, Francis, how are you?
So how are you getting on?

466
00:23:59,199 --> 00:24:01,599
Ah, I'm doing good now, I
nearly just finished this room now.

467
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,519
Yeah, and did you find it hard?

468
00:24:03,599 --> 00:24:05,720
It was fairly
difficult, I was kept going.

469
00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,199
Have you -- see the way the bed
is presented, it's very nicely done.

470
00:24:09,279 --> 00:24:11,919
Very nice, because the linen, when
you walk in, that's the first thing

471
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:13,160
everybody sees.

472
00:24:13,239 --> 00:24:15,279
Did you check all the drawers?
Checked all the drawers, yeah.

473
00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:17,000
They didn't leave
anything after them.

474
00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:20,040
The bottom drawer is always the one
that you need to check, all right?

475
00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:23,279
Because there could be and then
along, you know, along this edge here

476
00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:26,519
that there isn't dust, because
dust goes everywhere, very good,

477
00:24:26,599 --> 00:24:28,080
no dust, at least, right.

478
00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,000
And that the lamps are settled.

479
00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,480
I'm learning a lot like,
there's a lot to get through.

480
00:24:32,559 --> 00:24:33,919
It's a very stressful job.

481
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,080
Like, I mean, I'm
only doing one room here.

482
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,440
I also now would need to go to the
next one and then get to the next

483
00:24:38,519 --> 00:24:40,639
room, and then the next
room after that, you know.

484
00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:42,440
So you're definitely not, you're
definitely not taking a break when

485
00:24:42,519 --> 00:24:44,120
you're inside here anyway.

486
00:24:45,919 --> 00:24:47,199
Hello there.

487
00:24:47,279 --> 00:24:49,120
Coffee and a cappuccino.

488
00:24:49,199 --> 00:24:50,959
I'm looking at the whole picture
here, and they're trying to see

489
00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:52,559
what's going on behind the scenes.

490
00:24:52,639 --> 00:24:54,519
And I suppose ultimately,
what's happening with everything.

491
00:24:54,599 --> 00:24:56,480
Once we get the right people around
us and the right people under us, I

492
00:24:56,559 --> 00:24:59,760
suppose ultimately, you know,
I think we can really pull off

493
00:24:59,839 --> 00:25:01,279
something good.

494
00:25:02,199 --> 00:25:04,080
Fair play to you.
How are you doing?

495
00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:05,480
Couldn't be better.

496
00:25:05,559 --> 00:25:06,720
Fantastic.

497
00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,599
Sit down there now
and we'll have a chat.

498
00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,639
It's tough work.
Tough work, are ye exhausted?

499
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,080
The main thing to watch, from an
owner's perspective, is your wage

500
00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,440
cost, because that is crucial.

501
00:25:17,519 --> 00:25:21,160
If you bring in wages in a cafe,
something in the region of 33, 35%

502
00:25:21,239 --> 00:25:23,160
okay, you'll be doing all right.

503
00:25:23,239 --> 00:25:26,639
But if that percentage goes up to
45 or 50%, which it will in certain

504
00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,080
days, but at the end of the week it
should come in at around early 30s.

505
00:25:30,639 --> 00:25:33,360
And if you are in that
ballpark, then the rest is fine.

506
00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,800
Once you control your
labour cost, the rest follows.

507
00:25:36,879 --> 00:25:39,319
And you know, they're giving
out the little biscuits for free?

508
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:40,959
That's right, yeah.

509
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,120
That's not for free.
Is it not, no?

510
00:25:43,199 --> 00:25:46,720
No, that's a piece of marketing,
all right, and it's included in the

511
00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,160
price of the coffee.

512
00:25:48,239 --> 00:25:50,760
It's an added little extra that
brings people back because they feel

513
00:25:50,839 --> 00:25:52,440
they're getting something else.

514
00:25:52,519 --> 00:25:54,360
So you'd be charging
for that, would you?

515
00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,360
We'll have to, Paul won't let
me do it for free I'll tell you!

516
00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,360
(Laughter)

517
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,400
Hello, good evening.

518
00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,279
A manager needs to know little bit
about everything and not a lot about

519
00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:08,480
anything, and you
will have to jump in.

520
00:26:08,559 --> 00:26:11,519
I mean, there'll be a day when Mary
won't turn up and someone has to do

521
00:26:11,599 --> 00:26:13,559
rooms or pull
linen or whatever it is.

522
00:26:13,639 --> 00:26:15,639
So there will be a
day when that will happen.

523
00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,120
So you know, the more you know,
the better it will be for you.

524
00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,720
It takes a lot of effort to make
hospitality look effortless, and

525
00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:24,519
that's the lesson for today.

526
00:26:24,599 --> 00:26:28,279
We feel that we are prepared in a
lot of senses and that we have a

527
00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:32,599
good basis to push on, and then you
come here and you just go, right,

528
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,160
there's actually a bit more to this
and all the rest of it, but I still

529
00:26:35,239 --> 00:26:37,959
feel that we've good heads on
our shoulders, really, and that we

530
00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:39,680
should be in good
shape, hopefully, really, yeah.

531
00:26:40,919 --> 00:26:42,400
The two boys are doing great.

532
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,879
I'm quietly confident that they
will be able to step up to the job.

533
00:26:45,959 --> 00:26:49,400
I think they approached it with a
really open mind, and they were here

534
00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,480
to learn, and they got -- I
think they got a lot out of today.

535
00:26:52,559 --> 00:26:55,919
Provided they remember that they have
rooms upstairs and don't spend all

536
00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,239
their time on the
ground floor, they'll do fine.

537
00:26:58,319 --> 00:27:00,199
A lot to learn, but
you're well able to learn.

538
00:27:00,279 --> 00:27:01,959
It's not an issue with
ye at all, so listen, anyway,

539
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:03,239
good luck to you.

540
00:27:03,319 --> 00:27:05,199
We've a little surprise
for you, so stand there.

541
00:27:05,279 --> 00:27:06,319
Noreen!

542
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,959
Thanks again for all your hard
work today and your tips for today.

543
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,480
I was gonna say,
will I bill you my hours?

544
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,639
Get yourself an ice
cream on the way home.

545
00:27:17,239 --> 00:27:18,879
Thanks lads, bye-bye.

546
00:27:22,559 --> 00:27:27,040
It's early July, and the good news is
that the O'Carrolls have taken our
advice.

547
00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:30,959
They've abandoned the notion of
opening for Rose of Tralee, instead

548
00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,160
they'll aim for November.

549
00:27:33,239 --> 00:27:37,120
The bad news is that nothing
seems to be happening around here.

550
00:27:37,199 --> 00:27:40,639
I suppose a lot of
the problems is labour, really.

551
00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:43,839
Everyone's just extremely busy.

552
00:27:43,919 --> 00:27:46,800
There's a lot of work out there at
the moment, and we're just trying to

553
00:27:46,879 --> 00:27:49,480
grab a hold of them and get them in.

554
00:27:51,199 --> 00:27:54,839
If we can hit November, it would
be great, but every week every new

555
00:27:54,919 --> 00:27:57,279
problem that we come
across, it just goes aww,

556
00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:01,279
you know, but look, we'll see if we
keep our heads down, and we'll keep
going.

557
00:28:02,639 --> 00:28:06,319
Mum Norma is also under
pressure making the hard call on soft

558
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:07,879
furnishings.

559
00:28:07,959 --> 00:28:13,199
I think we have decided we want
plain curtains and a bit of colour

560
00:28:13,279 --> 00:28:15,720
or pattern for the chairs.

561
00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,160
So we need a plain fabric.

562
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,040
That's nice.

563
00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:22,519
Oh, that's nice
now, and it's blush pink.

564
00:28:22,599 --> 00:28:24,599
There are other
tones going through it.

565
00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,519
Now it's a matter of finding
something to complement it.

566
00:28:28,839 --> 00:28:30,000
Oh, wow!

567
00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:31,760
What have I got here?

568
00:28:32,519 --> 00:28:34,839
Oh, that looks like a great match.

569
00:28:34,919 --> 00:28:39,120
So that could be one storey,
and now to find another one.

570
00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,239
Two months later, with money
passing the door daily, we learned

571
00:28:46,319 --> 00:28:48,519
the opening is
pushed back to December.

572
00:28:49,199 --> 00:28:51,959
So Francis and I called
to see what's going wrong.

573
00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,160
A windswept day, but nice.
Yeah.

574
00:28:54,239 --> 00:28:57,239
The face looks very good.
It does, yeah, I must say I like the
painting.

575
00:28:57,319 --> 00:28:59,160
Yeah, it's nice and fresh.
Nice and fresh.

576
00:28:59,239 --> 00:29:00,839
It's inside I'm worried about.
I know.

577
00:29:00,919 --> 00:29:02,559
Well, we'll know that in a minute.

578
00:29:10,279 --> 00:29:11,599
Morning, Anthony.
Morning.

579
00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,040
How are things?
Great and yourself?

580
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:15,639
A bit of work done.

581
00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:17,879
A small bit of work done.
A bit to be done.

582
00:29:18,239 --> 00:29:19,839
We're not nearly there yet.

583
00:29:19,919 --> 00:29:22,599
Well, we are, we are,
be optimistic, Francis.

584
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:24,519
Have you been to a hotel?

585
00:29:24,599 --> 00:29:26,639
It doesn't look
like this, I guess, no?

586
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,040
Okay, tell us now,
what's the story in here?

587
00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,839
Our reception has
officially moved in here.

588
00:29:31,919 --> 00:29:34,440
So we're looking at putting a
reception counter there, so that

589
00:29:34,519 --> 00:29:36,400
when you come in the front door,
you're getting eyes on with the

590
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:37,800
receptionist.
Very good.

591
00:29:37,879 --> 00:29:39,319
You'll be able to see that.

592
00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:41,480
And then the front area here, then
is going to be all seating area.

593
00:29:41,559 --> 00:29:42,879
Great.

594
00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,680
Oh, look, I recognize
that, I saw that in the workshop.

595
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,319
So this is what we saw in the
workshop, yeah, so it's made its way

596
00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:53,199
in, but there's a lot more
pieces to the puzzle, I suppose.

597
00:29:53,279 --> 00:29:55,080
And what sort of
top is going on this?

598
00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:56,959
So there's a granite top gonna go
on, and it's going to be similar to

599
00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,199
what we've done in the fireplace,
so to kind of tidy the two together.

600
00:30:03,639 --> 00:30:05,800
Oh that's lovely, that's what
I saw in the workshop, isn't it?

601
00:30:05,879 --> 00:30:06,959
It is, yeah.

602
00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,160
It looks lovely
and feels lovely to hold.

603
00:30:10,839 --> 00:30:13,559
So now this is a
template room, 109 is it?

604
00:30:13,639 --> 00:30:16,160
Yeah, 109 is not on
door yet, but it will be.

605
00:30:16,239 --> 00:30:17,760
We'll start in the bathroom.

606
00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:21,480
Very nice, black and white I love.

607
00:30:21,559 --> 00:30:22,599
Yes, yeah.

608
00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,400
Now, the bedroom.
Fine room.

609
00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:27,919
A nice feel to it.

610
00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:29,879
Now you know something,
a little tip for you now.

611
00:30:29,959 --> 00:30:31,879
You have to train
curtains when you put them up.

612
00:30:31,959 --> 00:30:33,319
Train them?!
Train them.

613
00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:37,400
Yeah, because within three weeks, the
curtain will learn where it has to
sit.

614
00:30:37,879 --> 00:30:40,400
So you've got to bring
all the pleats together.

615
00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:41,839
You see the way?
Yes, yeah.

616
00:30:41,919 --> 00:30:44,400
And I bet the man who put them up was
probably pleating them all along like
that.

617
00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,000
He was at that, but I just
thought he was just particular.

618
00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,720
No, he's not trying to see that
the finish has to be like that.

619
00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,559
And your accommodation girls, when
they come to do the room, will have

620
00:30:52,639 --> 00:30:54,319
to do them like that, because then,
when you do them like that for the

621
00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:56,160
first three or four
weeks, they're always like that.

622
00:30:56,239 --> 00:30:58,000
Otherwise, to get all mixed up.

623
00:30:58,080 --> 00:30:59,959
There's a little
accommodation tip for you.

624
00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,000
If only the rest of the
hotel was that easy to fix!

625
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,519
The place needs to be
ready in a month and a half.

626
00:31:08,599 --> 00:31:10,480
I'm just not seeing it.

627
00:31:10,559 --> 00:31:12,160
Now, we've had a good look around.

628
00:31:12,239 --> 00:31:16,080
Okay, upstairs is in good shape,
but downstairs, I'd be very, very
worried.

629
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,199
There's a ferocious amount of work
to be done here before opening in

630
00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:23,839
six week's time, and I think we're
up against it on the ground floor.

631
00:31:23,919 --> 00:31:26,680
We've had scheduled dates for
when people are starting, but what

632
00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,120
happens is, when one contractor
delays or pushes out a week, it has

633
00:31:30,199 --> 00:31:32,959
a domino effect on every other
contractor after them, like where we

634
00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,760
are at the moment, if we have one
more delay, the domino effect is

635
00:31:35,839 --> 00:31:37,800
going to push us out over the...

636
00:31:37,879 --> 00:31:39,839
It has to be the 1st of December.

637
00:31:39,919 --> 00:31:42,400
If you don't make the 1st of
December, there's no point opening.

638
00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,559
Because you've January, February
and March, there is going to be no
business.

639
00:31:45,639 --> 00:31:49,639
So really, if you don't make it for
Christmas, we've lost five or six
months.

640
00:31:50,959 --> 00:31:53,080
There'll be a load of people
coming to Tralee for Christmas,

641
00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:54,480
for Christmas parties.

642
00:31:54,559 --> 00:31:56,639
That's revenue you need this year.

643
00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,720
And where are you on
receptionist, administration?

644
00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:04,040
Like that person needs to walk this
house 20 times that they know room

645
00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:09,000
109 has a king size
bed, and room 211 has twins.

646
00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,440
They need to just know that in
their head, so you don't learn that

647
00:32:11,519 --> 00:32:12,839
the morning you open.

648
00:32:12,919 --> 00:32:15,279
Yeah, we still have carpenters
that get lost in the building.

649
00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,160
No, it's true.

650
00:32:17,239 --> 00:32:18,800
You have to have
your rates in order.

651
00:32:18,879 --> 00:32:20,680
How much is a cup
of coffee in the morning?

652
00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:22,440
Are you doing three
nights for the price of two?

653
00:32:22,519 --> 00:32:24,599
Are you doing a
discount for two nights of stay.

654
00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:26,919
All of those things
have to be put in place.

655
00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,120
And simple things like the glasses
in the bar, what type of glass were

656
00:32:30,199 --> 00:32:31,680
you going to use?
Where are the glasses?

657
00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:33,559
Can we get them delivered in time?

658
00:32:33,639 --> 00:32:35,680
There's just so much to think about.

659
00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:38,800
We have a lot of work to do.

660
00:32:38,879 --> 00:32:41,160
I'd say the Brennan's probably think
that we're biting off a little bit

661
00:32:41,239 --> 00:32:43,639
more than we can chew, but
they've said that since day one.

662
00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,199
So I mean, you know, I didn't
believe them the last time, and I

663
00:32:46,279 --> 00:32:47,319
won't believe them now.

664
00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:57,360
Mum, Norma, is very proud of her
boys, but because they're feeling

665
00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,319
the strain, so is she.

666
00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:04,559
There is a lot of stress, but
they have shown me that they have

667
00:33:04,639 --> 00:33:06,279
confidence in what they're doing.

668
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:10,160
Yes, there are days they're
exhausted and they have been working

669
00:33:10,239 --> 00:33:13,480
non-stop, Saturdays, Sundays,
you name it, they've had to make an

670
00:33:13,559 --> 00:33:18,480
awful lot of sacrifices to pull the
cat out of the bag and get up before
Christmas.

671
00:33:20,879 --> 00:33:24,760
Oh, this brings back fond memories
of the three boys, one of their,

672
00:33:24,839 --> 00:33:28,599
I'd say, Christmas
presents, were three hard hats.

673
00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,120
Little did I think that they would
be today wearing three hard hats

674
00:33:32,199 --> 00:33:34,160
building this fantastic hotel.

675
00:33:35,199 --> 00:33:38,519
My mother had a great influence on
their early life, and still does.

676
00:33:38,599 --> 00:33:42,559
She calls the shots, and she arrived
one day and she asked Thomas what

677
00:33:42,639 --> 00:33:43,959
was he doing?

678
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:49,279
And he had a wheelbarrow of bricks,
and he said, I don't know what I'm

679
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,400
doing, Anthony has the plan.

680
00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,040
I'm just the builder.

681
00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,639
They were together the whole time.

682
00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:57,800
I think it's the fact that
there's only two years between them,

683
00:33:57,879 --> 00:33:59,839
the three of them
just grew up together.

684
00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:14,120
It's mid November.

685
00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:17,279
If the James Hotel doesn't open
before Christmas, the O'Carrolls

686
00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,160
will lose vital revenue.

687
00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:24,160
And by the look of things that seems
likely, unless we keep the pressure
on them.

688
00:34:25,319 --> 00:34:27,199
I see a brush,
that looks good anyway!

689
00:34:27,559 --> 00:34:29,680
There's not a lot done here, John.
No.

690
00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,559
No, the brush
hasn't been used anyway.

691
00:34:31,919 --> 00:34:35,080
Oh, I would have thought
it'd be completely finished.

692
00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:37,160
This is disappointing all round.

693
00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,000
This hotel needs to be open,
and it's ridiculous that it's not

694
00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:42,559
further on than it is.

695
00:34:43,279 --> 00:34:45,959
The O'Carroll boys
need a good wake up call!

696
00:34:46,959 --> 00:34:51,480
To say I'm disappointed, would
be not enough of a word, all right.

697
00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:55,720
When we started out on
our very first day here, you had

698
00:34:55,800 --> 00:34:59,959
aspirations that you'd open in August
for the Rose of Tralee, and here we

699
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,360
are now fighting to
try and open in December.

700
00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,480
What has happened
since we were last here?

701
00:35:06,559 --> 00:35:09,919
Look, to start off,
we've had a number of setbacks.

702
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,480
There's been a number of
contractors that have let the dates

703
00:35:12,559 --> 00:35:15,000
slip, excuses, materials.

704
00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:16,480
Look, the list goes on.

705
00:35:16,559 --> 00:35:19,519
Everyone's, at some
point, been exposed to it.

706
00:35:19,599 --> 00:35:23,319
So when I'm coming here today,
I'm expecting vibrancy, energy,

707
00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:28,080
enthusiasm, and I come in and I see
the place the way it is, and I get
disappointed.

708
00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,559
But what worries me more is that if
you don't have that energy at this

709
00:35:31,639 --> 00:35:35,279
stage, so close to opening with a
product as good as you have, I fear

710
00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:39,559
for when you actually do open,
because this business eats you up

711
00:35:39,639 --> 00:35:42,599
if you don't give it energy
24 hours a day, and you will lose

712
00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,080
business morning, noon and night, if
there isn't that energy behind it.

713
00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:49,519
And I go back to my original point
when we first met, it's one leader

714
00:35:49,599 --> 00:35:51,080
needs to drive.

715
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,120
And what I'm afraid of here is that
with all the goodness of the three

716
00:35:54,199 --> 00:35:58,959
of ye, and it's immense, certain
things fall between stools, and the

717
00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:00,400
opening is one of them.

718
00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,440
You have one chance to make your
name and your reputation, and if you

719
00:36:03,519 --> 00:36:06,599
don't achieve that when you
open here, it's not good enough

720
00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:08,599
for all the work you've put into it.

721
00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:12,440
Christmas is one I would knock
the walls down to get open, because

722
00:36:12,519 --> 00:36:14,959
you've no other cashflow
coming in for another three months.

723
00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:17,319
It's a deadline, lads,
that just has to be done.

724
00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,519
And you pull every string you can
possibly do to get the place open.

725
00:36:20,599 --> 00:36:22,279
Otherwise it just rolls.

726
00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:25,839
And every day it rolls, it's
money out and nothing coming in.

727
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,479
It's December, and on the face
of it the O'Carroll's brand new

728
00:36:38,559 --> 00:36:42,360
26 bedroomed hotel in the
centre of Tralee is looking good.

729
00:36:43,879 --> 00:36:47,199
Behind the scenes, however,
there's been delay after delay.

730
00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,960
December is a crucial month for
business, and even though the lads

731
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,839
have failed to complete the entire
hotel, there's hope at least for

732
00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:56,199
one part of it.

733
00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:00,119
The O'Carrolls have decided to
focus all their efforts on the bar.

734
00:37:00,199 --> 00:37:03,920
Leaving the rest of the hotel to be
completed in the new year, which is a

735
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:07,320
relief, because launch day is today!

736
00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:10,799
It's 20 to two, and we're
looking to be open for six o'clock.

737
00:37:10,879 --> 00:37:14,479
We're just exhausted, but no,
it's nearly there, it looks really,
really good.

738
00:37:14,559 --> 00:37:17,320
Everything's coming together,
everything that's done now is a
finish.

739
00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:18,960
And it's really, really nice to see.

740
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:21,640
My uncle John, who's been on
the site for the last five years is

741
00:37:21,720 --> 00:37:22,720
going to be behind the bar.

742
00:37:22,799 --> 00:37:24,199
Cousin Maura,
she's in behind the bar.

743
00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:26,559
The wives and girlfriends and
partners, they've all been doing
their bit.

744
00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:27,960
Everyone's just been helping.

745
00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,479
And they just come in and they're
like, give me a job, which is great.

746
00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:35,320
At this point, the bar has a smart
frontage, a new name, and would you

747
00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:37,600
believe it, its own front door!

748
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,720
Staffing wise, the lads have finally
decided to appoint Anthony as the

749
00:37:42,799 --> 00:37:46,119
General Manager and
Paul as financial controller.

750
00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:51,079
As we suggested, they hired
Operations Manager, Emer Duffy.

751
00:37:51,159 --> 00:37:53,799
She's going to handle
the day to day logistics.

752
00:37:55,559 --> 00:37:59,079
From the moment I met them, I think
Paul and Anthony have had fantastic

753
00:37:59,159 --> 00:38:00,799
ideas about the hotel.

754
00:38:00,879 --> 00:38:03,559
There was a while there, maybe
a week or two ago, where I looked

755
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,079
around and went,
oh, will we make it?

756
00:38:06,159 --> 00:38:09,879
But I can see from their ideas
and their drive, that I think what

757
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:13,280
they're going to do with the James
Hotel in Tralee is going to be very
special.

758
00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,000
Having said that, there's still an
awful lot of work to do, and it's

759
00:38:17,079 --> 00:38:19,479
all hands on deck, including mine.

760
00:38:19,559 --> 00:38:21,720
Now, how's everything down here?

761
00:38:21,799 --> 00:38:23,159
Caught rapid!

762
00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:24,680
Caught rapid is right.

763
00:38:24,759 --> 00:38:26,360
It's about as good as it looks.

764
00:38:26,439 --> 00:38:27,839
Are these all go up?

765
00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:30,000
These are white
wine glasses to go up, yes.

766
00:38:30,079 --> 00:38:32,040
Sure I'll bring them
all up in a box, will I?

767
00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:38,040
Tell us now, with four
hours to go, what do you think?

768
00:38:38,119 --> 00:38:40,559
Three hours and 45 minutes
to go, I think we'll pull it off.

769
00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:42,799
Do you think? Hopefully,
stranger things have happened!

770
00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:45,920
That's my work done now.

771
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,119
Okay, problem number
one, they don't go in.

772
00:38:49,199 --> 00:38:50,920
A good barman
will get them out John!

773
00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:52,280
You wouldn't
know anything about that.

774
00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:53,759
And a tall barman!

775
00:38:53,839 --> 00:38:55,439
You definitely wouldn't
know anything about that!

776
00:38:55,519 --> 00:38:57,159
No, I'm up on the box.

777
00:38:57,240 --> 00:38:59,720
Okay, so now what's next?
We need snacks.

778
00:38:59,799 --> 00:39:01,119
Right.

779
00:39:01,199 --> 00:39:04,119
We need a lot more than snacks!

780
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:07,119
Everything is done...
CRASH OF GLASS

781
00:39:07,199 --> 00:39:08,680
It was John, it was John!

782
00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:10,439
It was John.

783
00:39:10,519 --> 00:39:12,960
Opening's back a half an hour.
I can't believe you got that on
camera.

784
00:39:15,479 --> 00:39:17,559
I'd prefer to be
further on than this.

785
00:39:17,640 --> 00:39:19,479
I love a soft opening.

786
00:39:19,559 --> 00:39:22,600
And I always love to get a
place tested with everyone in place.

787
00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,439
That's not happening here, and my
fear is that in three and a half

788
00:39:25,519 --> 00:39:28,079
hours, that door is going to open
and we're going to be hammered and

789
00:39:28,159 --> 00:39:29,479
we won't be able to cope.

790
00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:33,680
Outside, Tralee's
looking very festive.

791
00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:39,079
But if Christmas is coming to the
James Hotel, Santa will need a bit of
guidance.

792
00:39:39,519 --> 00:39:42,720
Doing something I never done before,
getting the signage on two hours

793
00:39:42,799 --> 00:39:44,839
before opening,
looking forward to it now.

794
00:39:47,119 --> 00:39:50,839
I've worked in bars since I was 11
years of age, but never like this.

795
00:39:51,159 --> 00:39:54,280
We're about three minutes from the
doors opening and we're ready to

796
00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:57,079
welcome the people of Tralee
into Bridge Lane at the James.

797
00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:00,040
And here they come.

798
00:40:00,119 --> 00:40:04,040
Okay, launching the hotel in stages
was never part of the plan, but at

799
00:40:04,119 --> 00:40:07,879
least they're open for business,
and that calls for a toast.

800
00:40:10,119 --> 00:40:12,040
Very cute isn't it.
It is.

801
00:40:12,119 --> 00:40:14,079
It's nice seeing
somewhere opening up in town.

802
00:40:14,159 --> 00:40:16,079
We're excited to see it.

803
00:40:16,159 --> 00:40:18,040
Well, isn't that just great?

804
00:40:18,519 --> 00:40:20,680
That's it now.
That's the end of the hat.

805
00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:23,280
Fair play to you, congratulations.

806
00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:26,240
You know, all joking aside, some
achievement to come across that now.

807
00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:27,439
The place looks fabulous.

808
00:40:27,519 --> 00:40:29,119
Just one more thing to
do, do you know what that is?

809
00:40:29,199 --> 00:40:30,720
Clean up?
No, pint.

810
00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:33,280
It's been a long week.

811
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:37,720
It's been 3am, 4am,
3am, 4am, but look, it's done.

812
00:40:37,799 --> 00:40:40,640
I can't wait to have a
good night's sleep tomorrow.

813
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,119
I think they've
done wonderfully here.

814
00:40:43,199 --> 00:40:44,640
The bar is beautiful
the minute you walk in.

815
00:40:44,720 --> 00:40:46,439
I don't think there's
another bar like it in Tralee.

816
00:40:46,519 --> 00:40:47,920
I think it's
really, really gorgeous.

817
00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:50,280
I think they have a very good
sense about what they're doing.

818
00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,000
The finishes, the quality
of it all internally, is superb.

819
00:40:53,079 --> 00:40:55,720
If they get the
service right, they're away.

820
00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:00,799
It could be a while
before we see any of that service.

821
00:41:00,879 --> 00:41:02,400
It's New Year.

822
00:41:02,479 --> 00:41:06,000
The bar is still open, but the rest
of the hotel is a building site,

823
00:41:06,079 --> 00:41:09,640
and mum Norma has
a very long snag list.

824
00:41:09,720 --> 00:41:12,519
Okay, I need to get
the electrician in here.

825
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:16,159
I see, I see more light
switches here, "beside bed".

826
00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:20,079
Okay, window, that's fine.

827
00:41:20,519 --> 00:41:22,479
Oh right, a new screen.

828
00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,680
Okay, we lost that one, it broke.

829
00:41:26,759 --> 00:41:30,600
After that we'll put in the curtains
and blinds, and it won't take much

830
00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:33,680
to finish this
room, all looking well.

831
00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:36,839
I'll be the judge of
that, thank you very much!

832
00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:40,439
Now, looking around, there's still
a good bit of work to be done here.

833
00:41:40,519 --> 00:41:43,000
Still a small bit to be done, yeah.
Small bit or a good bit?!

834
00:41:43,079 --> 00:41:46,159
No, look, up here at this end
of the house we're not too bad.

835
00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:48,640
The biggest challenge to get us
open, one, here is the staircase,

836
00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:50,600
and so we need to get all our
nosings and everything done in order

837
00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:52,720
to meet the slip
ratings for the staircase.

838
00:41:52,799 --> 00:41:54,159
The bedrooms themselves are good.

839
00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:56,759
Bathrooms alright, there's a few
things that need to be done, but we

840
00:41:56,839 --> 00:41:58,879
can run without
them, we don't need them.

841
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:00,799
What needs to be done?
For example, like the soap

842
00:42:00,879 --> 00:42:03,640
dispensers on the
wall, that kind of stuff.

843
00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:06,799
But where we're caught, really
at the moment, is the reception.

844
00:42:06,879 --> 00:42:08,600
Hi Thomas.
Hiya Francis.

845
00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,559
Oh God, there's a lot to do here!
There sure is.

846
00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:12,720
Anthony said, go
downstairs and look at reception.

847
00:42:12,799 --> 00:42:14,720
So I'm here, tell me now.

848
00:42:14,799 --> 00:42:17,759
So you see the latted timber here,
there's one up in the ceiling here.

849
00:42:17,839 --> 00:42:20,759
So we'll be making a
triangulated design detail there.

850
00:42:20,839 --> 00:42:24,079
Then the reception area goes
over here, we're waiting on material

851
00:42:24,159 --> 00:42:26,360
there so we haven't
started manufacturing that yet.

852
00:42:26,439 --> 00:42:28,600
Oh right, so there's
a delay on materials.

853
00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:30,600
You could have the
computer on a table or something.

854
00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:32,920
Exactly, yeah.
Well, that's all right.

855
00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,119
We're thinking we'll make up
something that fills the space,

856
00:42:35,199 --> 00:42:36,920
serves the purpose,
but doesn't look the part.

857
00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:39,000
Yeah, right, I understand,
right so, every minute counts.

858
00:42:39,079 --> 00:42:40,559
I won't delay you any longer.

859
00:42:40,640 --> 00:42:44,240
The Bridge Lane bar has been open a
month, which is good, because right

860
00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:48,320
now it's the hotel's one
and only source of revenue.

861
00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:50,360
Isn't this a transformation?

862
00:42:50,439 --> 00:42:52,360
It's lovely when
you look across there.

863
00:42:52,439 --> 00:42:54,119
And those little
booths, are they working well?

864
00:42:54,199 --> 00:42:56,640
They work very well, they were a
massive success, even though we were

865
00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:58,119
considering not putting them in.

866
00:42:58,199 --> 00:43:00,360
No, they're lovely.
They're there to stay now.

867
00:43:00,439 --> 00:43:02,159
People to sit and have a little chat.

868
00:43:03,879 --> 00:43:05,879
It's really nice.

869
00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:08,799
Now tell me, you opened
like Christmas week, nearly.

870
00:43:08,879 --> 00:43:11,159
Christmas week.
Yeah, how has the bar been going?

871
00:43:11,240 --> 00:43:14,360
When we opened Friday was busy,
and we were very happy, and we were

872
00:43:14,439 --> 00:43:18,920
quickly changing stuff in the bar
that night, moving glasses around
and everything.

873
00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:20,479
And then Saturday
was a bumper night.

874
00:43:20,559 --> 00:43:22,400
There was a queue
down around the corner.

875
00:43:22,479 --> 00:43:24,280
And tell me about feedback now,
from the customers, what sort of

876
00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:25,799
feedback have you been getting?

877
00:43:25,879 --> 00:43:28,439
I think one of the nicest
compliments we got from a guy,

878
00:43:28,519 --> 00:43:31,199
he said, it's the kind of place
you could bring a woman, he said.

879
00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:32,439
Oh right!

880
00:43:32,519 --> 00:43:35,000
So you can take
from that what you will.

881
00:43:35,079 --> 00:43:37,879
But no what we took from it, was
that it was a lovely place, really

882
00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:41,280
nicely lit, and, you
know, really nice place, yeah.

883
00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:43,400
And the big question
now, are you making money?

884
00:43:43,479 --> 00:43:46,000
I know it's early days, but
how, what do you feel yourself?

885
00:43:46,079 --> 00:43:48,920
If you asked me New Year's Day, I
would have said, yeah, we're making
money.

886
00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:52,360
And then if you ask me the 14th of
January, I would've said, I don't
know.

887
00:43:52,439 --> 00:43:55,400
We need to try and figure out
how we can, how we can manage that.

888
00:43:55,479 --> 00:43:59,240
And I suppose bring up the
quieter days and then make hay when

889
00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:01,360
the sun shines,
then, on the busier days.

890
00:44:01,439 --> 00:44:03,640
So I know Christmas
was good, thank God.

891
00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:13,079
It's now 10 years since they first
decided to build a hotel on this
site.

892
00:44:13,159 --> 00:44:16,079
The O'Carrolls have put an awful lot
of money, sweat and tears, into this

893
00:44:16,159 --> 00:44:19,680
project, but today, seven months
later than it should have opened,

894
00:44:19,759 --> 00:44:21,519
the doors are finally opening.

895
00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:25,879
As you walk through the main
entrance, there's a simple but

896
00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:30,199
elegant reception area,
perfectly suited to a boutique hotel.

897
00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:37,360
The O'Carroll's expertise in luxury
materials has made for clever design.

898
00:44:37,439 --> 00:44:40,240
And deep, rich tones throughout.

899
00:44:41,079 --> 00:44:46,079
Upstairs, 26 fully furnished bedrooms
are ready for their first guests.

900
00:44:49,199 --> 00:44:51,439
Time then for one last inspection.

901
00:44:54,720 --> 00:44:56,600
Anthony, great to see you.
Welcome back.

902
00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:58,400
And a great day.
It is, yeah.

903
00:44:58,479 --> 00:45:00,640
Now you did a great job outside, at
least I was able to find the front

904
00:45:00,720 --> 00:45:02,400
door with no problem.

905
00:45:02,479 --> 00:45:04,600
This looks lovely.
Oh, and you've lovely lamps.

906
00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:07,199
Lovely, yeah, the
lattice really came together.

907
00:45:07,280 --> 00:45:09,400
So, you know, it turned
out really, really well, happy out.

908
00:45:09,479 --> 00:45:11,479
Yeah.
Finally got the reception desk.

909
00:45:11,559 --> 00:45:12,759
We did yeah.

910
00:45:12,839 --> 00:45:14,839
So it arrived to us on a
Tuesday, and by Friday it was in

911
00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:16,640
here, installed.
Fantastic.

912
00:45:16,720 --> 00:45:19,000
It looks very nice.
The whole -- it's a lovely feel.

913
00:45:19,479 --> 00:45:20,680
I'm dying to see the rest.

914
00:45:20,759 --> 00:45:22,240
Come on, I'll show you around.

915
00:45:29,199 --> 00:45:32,479
Oh, you've the same lights here
as reception, very good design

916
00:45:32,559 --> 00:45:35,920
continuity, and they're a
lovely shade, I like them a lot.

917
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:38,000
We'll have a look at the bedrooms.

918
00:45:39,479 --> 00:45:41,759
Here we have room 308.

919
00:45:41,839 --> 00:45:44,439
Oh, it's great to see
such a finished product.

920
00:45:44,519 --> 00:45:48,280
And it looks great overall,
I have to say, very, very nice.

921
00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:52,479
And the lighting under the bed,
it's a very nice feature alright.

922
00:45:52,559 --> 00:45:53,600
Is this marble or...

923
00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:54,839
That's quartz.
Quartz.

924
00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:57,240
So all the bedrooms quartz
worktops and quartz bedside lockers.

925
00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,000
Very easy clean.

926
00:45:59,079 --> 00:46:00,759
Yeah, and a plush
finish to soften it.

927
00:46:00,839 --> 00:46:03,400
And I see your curtains,
you're training them well.

928
00:46:03,479 --> 00:46:04,920
They're in training the whole time.

929
00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:06,519
We'll have a look at the bathroom.

930
00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:10,519
Oh yeah, that's lovely,
I love the black and white.

931
00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:12,040
Yeah, it turned out really well.

932
00:46:12,119 --> 00:46:14,559
Very clean finish, yeah,
and the uplighting is lovely.

933
00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:16,000
It gives a lovely
flush along the roof.

934
00:46:16,079 --> 00:46:17,559
It works really, really well, yeah.

935
00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:20,079
Now a family room, is that it?

936
00:46:20,159 --> 00:46:22,240
This is our family room, yeah.
Very nice.

937
00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:23,600
And I love that divider.

938
00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:25,519
Yeah, it just creates
just a separate space.

939
00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:27,839
Because a lot of the family rooms
we've come across have just are big,

940
00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:30,320
open rooms, and
it's not very private.

941
00:46:30,839 --> 00:46:33,360
What's that in there?
What's going on in here?

942
00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:36,640
You can sit on this!
Go on, have a seat, have a seat.

943
00:46:37,640 --> 00:46:39,879
You have the shower sitting down.

944
00:46:40,759 --> 00:46:44,439
Listen, it's no joke when you get
older, people might be delighted to
sit down, yeah.

945
00:46:50,879 --> 00:46:52,479
Oh, this is lovely.
Yeah.

946
00:46:52,559 --> 00:46:53,960
This is our classic room.

947
00:46:54,040 --> 00:46:55,720
We've kind of gone for the
pink just to lift it and kind of

948
00:46:55,799 --> 00:46:57,920
make it a bit more elegant.
I love these window seats.

949
00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,240
Yeah, go and have a seat.

950
00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:02,920
Yeah, you'd be as happy as
Larry reading your book here now.

951
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:05,159
Yeah, so on the top floor, because
of the shape of the building and the

952
00:47:05,240 --> 00:47:07,839
design and the outside, we were able
to incorporate dormers here on the

953
00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:10,720
top floor, so there's five bedrooms
that have window seats in them.

954
00:47:10,799 --> 00:47:12,320
And it gives the
room a whole big feel then.

955
00:47:12,400 --> 00:47:13,839
Yeah, absolutely.
Very good.

956
00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:16,119
It might be two feet,
but it gives it an extra five.

957
00:47:16,199 --> 00:47:18,079
You know, it feels much bigger.

958
00:47:18,159 --> 00:47:20,680
Congratulations all round,
all you need now is customers.

959
00:47:20,759 --> 00:47:22,759
Come on, start hustling.

960
00:47:23,119 --> 00:47:26,119
Starting out with absolutely
no experience of the hospitality

961
00:47:26,199 --> 00:47:29,879
business, the O'Carrolls have really
achieved something remarkable here.

962
00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:32,159
And that is worth celebrating.

963
00:47:32,759 --> 00:47:34,199
This is a great day.

964
00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:37,400
I'm so excited for everybody,
particularly the family, because it's

965
00:47:37,479 --> 00:47:39,759
the culmination
of a lot of hard work.

966
00:47:39,839 --> 00:47:43,280
So congratulations to everybody, and
a big round of applause, thank you.

967
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:48,640
APPLAUSE

968
00:47:48,720 --> 00:47:51,159
We're absolutely thrilled
with the with the results.

969
00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:54,400
I think it's passion, is what it
was like, it was everyone was so

970
00:47:54,479 --> 00:47:57,000
passionate about the building and
about the operations of it and the

971
00:47:57,079 --> 00:47:58,360
runnings of it.

972
00:47:58,439 --> 00:48:01,519
That's where the emotion came from,
like and we're all very, very happy

973
00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:03,040
with the result here today.

974
00:48:03,119 --> 00:48:06,199
This is not a package where we got
in a company and said, here lads, do

975
00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:08,519
whatever, this is our baby.

976
00:48:08,879 --> 00:48:12,600
This whole experience has put
pressure on the family, but it has

977
00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:17,079
brought us closer together, and it
has brought out strengths in every

978
00:48:17,159 --> 00:48:21,439
one of us that I don't think we were
confident enough that we had them.

979
00:48:21,519 --> 00:48:25,439
So, yes, it was a good experience.

980
00:48:26,559 --> 00:48:29,839
Best bit of advice we got from the
Brennans was probably moving the

981
00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:31,799
reception area out to the front.

982
00:48:31,879 --> 00:48:33,799
We were happy enough to go the way
it was, and we were going to try and

983
00:48:33,879 --> 00:48:37,400
make do with what we had, but them
coming in and just saying, lads, no,

984
00:48:37,479 --> 00:48:39,240
come on now, you need to look at it.

985
00:48:39,320 --> 00:48:41,439
I think that at least put us all
on the same page on our end and go,

986
00:48:41,519 --> 00:48:44,439
okay, look, how do we now go about
changing it, rather than it being a

987
00:48:44,519 --> 00:48:46,680
question of, would
we do something or not?

988
00:48:46,759 --> 00:48:50,040
Now time for me to go, sad
actually, to leave you all behind.

989
00:48:50,119 --> 00:48:53,119
You have created a wonderful,
wonderful hotel, and I honestly

990
00:48:53,199 --> 00:48:54,839
believe it'll be a great success.

991
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,759
All you need is people, okay, but
they will come, because when I come

992
00:48:57,839 --> 00:49:01,360
to Tralee, probably in years to come,
it'll probably say "house full", and

993
00:49:01,439 --> 00:49:03,879
I'll have to move along, hopefully!
Please God.

994
00:49:03,960 --> 00:49:05,519
All right, I'll
leave you on that note.

995
00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:07,559
So thanks everybody.
All right, thank you.

996
00:49:53,040 --> 00:50:03,360
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