Peter Hancock to retire from role as chief executive of Pride of Britain Hotels

Peter Hancock has announced that he is retiring from the helm of the Pride of Britain Hotels consortium after 21 years, with the hunt on for a new chief executive.

Chair of the group, Whatley Manor general manager Sue Williams, is leading the process to appoint a successor with a job description available on request and interviews expected to take place from the end of April with the successful candidate to start in October in time for a handover with Hancock, who leaves the role in November.

Pride of Britain Hotels is a collection of never more than 50 independent luxury and boutique hotels in the UK. The consortium was formed in 1982 to offer properties marketing support in return for an annual membership fee.

Hancock took over the role in 2000 on the retirement of Michael Yeo. He also serves as a professional after-dinner speaker, conference chair, qualified toastmaster, award ceremony host and ‘voice of God' including at The Caterer's own Cateys, and as a regular columnist for the magazine.

Hancock said: "It has been a huge privilege to steer Pride of Britain along these past 21 years, and of course I still have a few months to go, but more than anything it has enabled me to claim membership of a great fraternity of leading hoteliers and business people, which will hopefully continue long after I have retired from this job. It's strange to think I was only 41 when the opportunity to replace Michael Yeo came my way."

He added: "As for my own future, I hope and expect it to include more speaking and event hosting engagements, continued involvement with various industry bodies plus plenty of golf and family time. One of the few good things to come our way during the pandemic was our dear little granddaughter who is now one year old."