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The Merrion has been in Paul Bream’s family for generations. When he closed the doors in March he was faced with the possibility of never opening them again. Here, he explains how the UK government’s furlough and business support schemes have given him reason to hope for a positive future
For Paul Bream, the hotel he runs with his brother Gareth isn’t just a building or a business. It’s at the very heart of his family. So when they were forced to lock the doors of the 64-bedroom Merrion hotel on Llandudno seafront for the first time in 70 years – right before the busy season – it wasn’t just financially worrying, but personally heartbreaking.
“The business has been in my family since 1949 – for four generations,” says Bream. “This is more than bricks and mortar to us, this is who we are. It’s part of our family and our identity; to say that it’s important to us wouldn’t get close. We have heritage here, long-standing relationships with guests. We’re part of their lives, they’re part of ours.” Continue reading...