Simon Kershaw

Simon has had a wide range of experience in the hospitality sector.

Simon currently heads up the Hospitality team at Carlton Towers, as well as holding a number of non-executive and advisory positions. He continues to work with wine merchants, House of Townend on their Marketing and strategy, following the successful development of their state of the art new head office, bonded warehouse and Cellar door operation. This has won numerous awards and resulted in the family being nominated and shortlisted for the National family business of the year sponsored by HSBC.

Variously Simon has been hotelier, restauranteur, valuer and wine merchant.

He has experience in working all over the U.K. and Europe gaining not only extensive experience but developing a large network of hospitality based connections.

His C.V. has taken in some industry giants like Whitbread and earlier in his career, as an associate with Humberts Chartered Surveyors. In addition he has worked on small boutique operations and country estates, including seven years working with the Hovingham estate in North Yorkshire on the Worsley Arms Hotel.

More recently Simon has completed a three year stint as Chairman of the Northern region of the British Hospitality Association, as well as serving on the national committee and lobbying group for tourism.

Simon was awarded the Restauranteur magazine Wine Merchant of the Year Award in 2005, whilst sales director at Playford Ros - Prestige Agencies. Together with guiding House of Townend Wine Merchants to being awarded the coveted International Wine Challenge - Wine Merchant of the Year for the last three years.