Not long after my arrival at Oulton Hall was I whisked away into the Drawing Room to be greeted by one of the most charming men I think I will ever meet. Suitably dressed in trousers, white shirt and waistcoat, the Head Butler, Peter led me to a small round dining table surrounded by two plump armchairs in front of the grand floor to ceiling Victorian windows giving me the perfect view to the gorgeous gardens.
Peter manages a team of six to seven waiters on a daily basis who attend to the needs of those in the dining room and terrace. Well known for its delicious and perfectly laid out Afternoon Tea, Oulton Hall is frequently fully booked for Hen Parties, business meetings and family get-togethers.
The ability to turn around tables in the flash of an eye, the Drawing Room often sees around 30 covers each day and despite the busy atmosphere, the staff ensure no one is kept waiting long and as soon as a party sits down, tea and coffee orders are taken and guests informed that it is a busy day and they will be back for their afternoon tea orders soon.
“It is all about communication and detail to attention, once one thing goes wrong then a snowball effect occurs and guests start looking for other things that are wrong or start picking up on a slack service” comments my trustee head butler. There is a fine line between delivering an efficient, quality service to being annoying and too attentive which ultimately irritates diners as they feel they cannot enjoy their time in peace.
Day-to-day duties don’t just involve waiting on customers but making sure that all the silver such as teapots, spoons and knives are polished and glasses steamed and pre -bookings laid out. In between parties, the staff will use a silent hoover to clean up crumbs, plump cushions and reset dining wear.
With a three month induction period, Peter looks for certain qualities in his staff, from efficiency and mannerism to pristine attire and an upbeat attitude, ready to hit the ground running and showing an interest in learning more about their traditional Yorkshire tea which is frequently served to guests.
As Head Butler, it is not just traditional Afternoon Tea dining or coffee mornings that are attended to but the service extends to private dinners, butler for the night experiences and suite requests. Private parties can choose to exclusively hire out the drawing room and service where by champagne and canapés are served by Peter and his team before the head chef cooks a delightful three-course meal for the guests, carving the meat on show and creating the ‘full Downton Abbey experience’.
The Afternoon Tea experience is not only a wonderfully polite and attentive service but the quality and variety of sandwiches, cakes and teas are exquisite with the perfectly warmed soft sultana scones accompanied by fruity jam and smooth cream! With a rumbling stomach, I happily indulge myself before being brought my own ‘Wimbledon’ gift bag, reserved for birthdays and Hen Parties and a glass of their finest champagne.
It is no wonder Oulton Hall manages to retain so many of its customers, with some regular visitors having been guests at this beautiful hotel for the last 15 years or so, I am sure in no small part down to the calm yet premium service and quality of the food served.
The Details
Oulton Hall, Rochwell Lane, Oulton, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS26 8HN
Tel: +44 (0)113 282 1000
Web: www.devere-hotels.co.uk
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