Gareth Chess – Receptionist

“I tried my best to get a job. I was ready to work”

Growing up in Edinburgh as a young boy, Gareth Chess wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to be when he grew up, but he definitely knew where he wanted to be. He’d stayed in hotels for many family holidays and liked what he saw. He liked the atmosphere of hotels and he liked the constant traffic of people coming and going. And that he decided was where he was going to work one day – in a hotel.

Gareth has cerebral palsy but this did not get in the way of his pursuit of a career in the hotel industry. He chose subjects at school and college that would help him qualify for work in the hotel and tourism industry and his efforts were rewarded when he was recruited as a receptionist at the Royal Terrace Hotel in Edinburgh.

Employer's story

“Gareth is one of the longest serving members of the receptionist staff” says Lisa Anderson, Rooms Division Manager at the Royal Terrace Hotel. In addition to his commitment to his job, his knowledge of Edinburgh and its attractions are another one of Gareth’s strengths as an employee. “Being a receptionist, Gareth is the first point of contact for guests which is an important role” says Lisa. “His local knowledge of the city’s attractions is valuable and particularly helpful for foreign guests.”

Based in the centre of Edinburgh, the hotel is popular with tourists and also has many repeat guests. Because of his length of service with the hotel, Gareth is on first name terms with many guests and this says Lisa, enhances the service to customers who like to see a familiar face on their return to the hotel. Gareth’s personality and his interest in hotels are clearly a good match to his ‘front of house’ role at the hotel. Lisa says: “He is always willing to work.”

Gareth’s competence as a receptionist isn’t only beneficial to guests but also to new employees. “He’s a good guide to new receptionists which is helpful because it can be quite daunting for staff when they start working at a new hotel” says Lisa.

Gareth uses a walking stick for support but no major adjustments had to be made for him when he started to work at the hotel. Lisa says: “The only adaptation as such that we had to make, was to get a chair for the reception desk so that Gareth can sit down when he works. Apart from that, the duty manager makes sure he gets sufficient rest, but that’s about it as far as adjustments go.”

New employees at the hotel have a three month trial and Lisa says that managers give all employees, disabled or not, all the ‘tools’ they need to be able to do their job and prove that they are the right person for the job.

Employee's story

Gareth didn’t just have some vague notion of wanting to work in the travel industry. He did everything he could to find a job. He studied for and achieved an Intermediate Level 2 qualification in Travel and Tourism at college and set himself the goal of being employed for the 2004 Edinburgh Festival season. After he left college he sent out speculative applications for jobs but without success. Eventually, he was referred to Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities, a charity that helps disabled people and people with medical conditions find employment.

Archie Lowe, an Employment Adviser with the charity, helped Gareth find vacancies and secure an interview at the Royal Terrace Hotel. “I made it clear to Archie that I wanted to work in hotels and that it was a long term commitment” says Gareth. After a successful interview and trial period, Gareth was offered a permanent job as a receptionist. He says: “Dealing with guests and with people is the best part of the job.” He adds: “I get to meet people from everywhere such as the USA, Australia and Canada. I also meet lots of British tourists as well.”

Gareth’s job has turned out to be everything he wanted it to be. His responsibilities include checking guests in and out of the hotel, answering switchboard calls and helping guests find their way around the city. He’s become accustomed to the seasonal nature of the work and particularly enjoys working during the busiest times of the year such as the Edinburgh Festival and the Christmas period.

Gareth’s goal was to find a job in a hotel by the summer of 2004. He achieved his goal and four summers later, remains just as enthusiastic about his job as the day he first started.

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