Pennod 1 Gwesty Parc y Stradey

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-Llanelli.

-A Mecca for Scarlets fans.

-A paradise for golfers.

-The tinworks have long gone, but

-the town has a new lease of life.

-Overlooking the town

-is one of Wales's leading hotels.

-Good morning, Stradey Park Hotel.

-The 4-star Stradey Park Hotel...

-..is family-friendly

-and a second home to the community.

-It's Dad's 90th birthday today.

-Some come here to relax.

-I like to treat myself to a massage.

-Some relax too much.

-Rugby lads are terrible!

-But there's always

-an opportunity to celebrate.

-Welcome to Y Gwesty.

-It's 5.30am,

-and the hotel is stirring.

-It's the start of a day's work

-for one of the staff.

-She's responsible for preparing

-120 guest breakfasts.

-Sausages, beans, mushrooms,

-tomato and eggs.

-Netra is from Nepal and has done

-this job on her own for two years.

-She'll be the last to eat breakfast.

-In a year, Netra prepares 50,000

-hash browns and 20,000 eggs.

-She has muscles like Tarzan...

-..to deal with the strenuous work.

-But she carries the burden well.

-I'm never angry, always happy.

-You'll always find someone

-doing something whatever the time.

-The breakfast won't serve itself.

-That's the job of Debra,

-a young mother from Pontyberem.

-In my last job,

-I started work at 6.00am.

-I have a young child, so I'm used

-to being up during the night too.

-You get used to it.

-Breakfast shift manager Craig is

-also accustomed to early mornings.

-It's going to be busy.

-We've got a couple of tours in

-on top of our usual weekend guests.

-We've got a lot of extra breakfast

-staff to cope with the extra demand.

-I'm back again at 4.30pm.

-We have two tours in.

-I'll try and do everything,

-plus my shopping...

-..before I return by 4.30pm.

-I think we're all set.

-We just need to wait for the guests

-before we can jump into action.

-Strong management is needed for

-all the daily comings and goings.

-This is the job of the duty manager.

-There are five of them at the hotel.

-Today's duty manager

-is Lesley from Kidwelly.

-She's recently returned to work

-after the birth of her daughter.

-With 15 years' experience,

-there isn't much she doesn't know.

-I need to go around checking

-that everyone is ready...

-..and that we have enough staff.

-I need to make sure

-that we're ready for the day ahead.

-It's starting to look like

-a wasted journey for Netra.

-It's 8.00am and none of the

-hash browns have been consumed.

-It's going to be mental at 9.00am.

-It's hard to believe

-that it will be so busy.

-With the food prepared, it would be

-nice to have guests to eat it.

-What's the time now?

-What's the time now?

-

-It's 8.05am.

-It's a lot later than we expected.

-It's a lot later than we expected.

-

-Good morning.

-Can I take your room number please?

-Can I take your room number please?

-

-It's 109.

-Will you be joining anyone?

-Will you be joining anyone?

-

-I'll be joining the walking group.

-The self-service hot carvery is

-here. Everything else is next door.

-I worry that the guests

-will all arrive at 9.00am.

-This is the calm before the storm.

-Where are they?

-I don't know. Tucked up in the

-comfortable beds of the hotel.

-They must have looked outside,

-seen the weather and stayed in bed.

-Last year, we had 23,000 people

-staying at the hotel...

-..for business purposes,

-weddings, holidays, tours...

-..and we had rugby teams staying.

-With 80 rooms to clean and change,

-the guests need to be out of bed...

-..for the cleaning to take place,

-once they've come down to breakfast!

-What are the guests like?

-Most of the time, people are tidy.

-We do get a few that are untidy.

-Rugby lads are terrible.

-I think they need their mothers

-to look after them.

-It can be chaotic.

-Pants, socks, everything!

-Am I disturbing you?

-Am I disturbing you?

-

-No, you're fine.

-Are you OK?

-Are you OK?

-

-Yes, I'm fine.

-Are you OK this morning?

-It's 8.15am. At last, a few guests

-have come to have their breakfast.

-It's action, action, action.

-Netra, who started work at 5.30am...

-..has already cooked a mountain

-of eggs, and now has to make more.

-Under the lights,

-the eggs tend to turn crispy.

-Once they begin to turn, we throw

-them and bring out fresh ones...

-..because it'll be busy at 8.30am,

-and we won't be able to keep up.

-Good morning, Stradey Park Hotel.

-The heart of any hotel

-is the reception.

-It's 35 for the room hire.

-This is where people come to check

-in and out, and to book everything.

-A lot goes on here.

-Thank you, goodbye.

-Today,

-Lesley has 20 staff in her care...

-..and six events throughout the day.

-There's a meeting in Bay 1. We'll

-need to push all the tables back.

-We'll do unlimited tea and coffee

-with a coffee station in the room.

-Fab.

-Fab.

-

-Thank you.

-Breakfast is in full swing now.

-It's busy, so we need to make sure

-that there's plenty of everything.

-It's a full restaurant, and we're

-pretty much at full capacity.

-This is normal for a weekend.

-They all wake up at the same time.

-We need to be clearing

-as much as we can.

-When guests leave, we need

-to relay with clean settings.

-We need to clear everything before

-the next 40-50 guests come down.

-Could you pour a coffee

-for Table 70 as well, please?

-You get a buzz from the job

-as the adrenalin kicks in.

-It's go, go, go...

-..then relax, and go, go, go again.

-It's great and good for the heart.

-I don't need to go to the gym!

-It'll be another hour

-before it's nice and calm again.

-Have you got enough milk here?

-The busiest time of the day

-is, thankfully, coming to an end.

-Most of our guests

-have been fed and watered.

-We're starting the clear-up

-operation now.

-The food, everything... and

-the service is absolutely superb.

-I'm afraid I had to pass

-on the Danish pastries.

-I was very tempted

-but I'm just too full.

-If the guests are happy,

-we know we've done our job well.

-I'm off now, so I'll go home,

-and then do some shopping...

-..before my next shift at 4.30pm.

-So I'll have a few hours at home.

-I'll see you later.

-She not only prepares breakfast but

-also cleans up before the next meal.

-That's the end of Netra's shift.

-Thank you very much.

-In Part Two, we meet a couple

-who spend a lot of time here...

-..despite living around the corner.

-I'd come here every day if I could.

-I'd leave him at home!

-But you can't please everyone.

-They complained because they had to

-wait to be seated at breakfast...

-..and they disliked the sausages.

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-It's 10.30am, the guests have left

-and the cleaning is underway.

-The hoovers are choking on the socks

-and pants of rugby players!

-Keeping an eye on cleaning standards

-is another part of Lesley's job.

-All guests expect cleanliness.

-Housekeeping!

-Lesley expects perfection.

-I usually start in the bathroom

-by checking the bath is clean.

-I then check that the toilet

-has been cleaned and tick my list.

-Next, I check

-that the bed has pillows...

-..and that nothing has been

-left in the drawers.

-There's nothing worse than finding

-someone's dentures in a drawer!

-This is one of our nicest rooms.

-This is a triple room.

-There's an extra bed for

-a child or a third person.

-I'm making sure

-there's a liner in the bin.

-The pedal on the bin has broken,

-so I'll make a note for Maintenance.

-I check for any dust.

-Every room at the hotel

-is different...

-..but some things

-have to be the same.

-We check the boxes...

-..to make sure there's enough tea,

-coffee, sugar, milk and biscuits.

-Sometimes, boxes are empty because

-guests have taken the contents...

-..for their next trip.

-At least they haven't taken the

-furniture and wallpaper, Lesley!

-All kinds of people stay at the

-hotel, some more famous than others.

-Last week, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

-stayed in our bridal suite.

-He was given one of our best rooms

-since he's into interior design.

-Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

-won't be leaving his pants here!

-This building has seen

-big changes over the years.

-It was home to local ironmasters

-and then sold to the Forte company.

-Twelve years ago, it passed into

-the hands of a local family.

-You look as if you're on a mission.

-You look as if you're on a mission.

-

-No meet for Lunch Club.

-No meat?

-No meat?

-

-No meat, yet.

-No meat for the Lunch Club.

-I doubt if there are many

-vegetarians in Llanelli!

-Angela Saunders is the owner of

-the hotel, and it hasn't been easy.

-It was hard at the beginning.

-I had a lot of sleepless nights.

-We had a lot of work to do

-in a short space of time.

-Twelve years on, I have a great team

-of staff who can cope with anything.

-Today, Lesley has a kitchen dilemma

-to deal with.

-While the staff prepare lunch...

-..head chef, Stuart

-is worried about tomorrow.

-We've got 150 people

-coming in tomorrow for lunch.

-But we don't have any meat, and

-Stuart is trying to sort it out.

-The meat for the lunch was ordered

-weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived!

-I'll have to come and get it myself.

-Cheers, pal. Thanks.

-Is everything OK, Stu?

-No.

-No meat for tomorrow.

-Everyone is vegetarian tomorrow.

-With 150 mouths to feed,

-there's only one answer for Stuart.

-He has to collect the meat himself.

-It's not only formal dining that

-attracts people to the hotel.

-The afternoon tea

-is also very popular.

-Afternoon teas have become very

-popular, especially on weekends.

-They attract up to

-a hundred people on the weekend.

-One local couple treat themselves

-often to afternoon tea.

-Hello, how are you?

-Hello, how are you?

-

-Hello, Lesley.

-The tea is lovely.

-Betty and David Williams have been

-coming to the hotel for years.

-Mrs Williams makes Welsh cakes

-for the staff every week.

-I try and make them every fortnight.

-I hope that our cakes

-live up to the same standard!

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-

-It's great to see you.

-Hopefully, the raspberry tart

-lives up to Betty's high standards.

-There's some sort of jelly

-in the middle.

-The hotel must be doing something

-right or they wouldn't be regulars!

-I'd come to the hotel every day.

-I'd come to the hotel every day.

-

-No!

-I would have to leave him at home!

-A rest for David

-after so many years together!

-We've been together

-since we were 16.

-We've been very happy together.

-We've been very happy together.

-

-Happiness is the key.

-What's the secret

-to a happy marriage?

-Half jam and half cream.

-Half jam and half cream.

-

-There you have it, jam and cream.

-Stuart has returned with the meat.

-With 150 meals to prepare...

-..the Lunch Club preparations

-have to begin.

-I've been here

-on and off for 24 years.

-My training was classical,

-and that's what I like.

-The young boys want to put

-micro herbs on and things like that.

-Will the Lunch Club meal

-be a classic meal?

-I'm going to chargrill this today.

-I'm going to marinade it

-in liquid smoke...

-..to give it a Brazilian summer feel

-for tomorrow's menu.

-Aren't they a cosmopolitan

-crew in Llanelli?!

-Despite all the effort,

-some complain about the service.

-Someone has left a comment

-about the breakfast.

-We're not very happy about it.

-I'm off to sort it out now.

-People are more than happy to voice

-their opinion online these days.

-To protect the business,

-the complaint must be dealt with.

-They've complained about having

-to wait for seats and coffee...

-..and they disliked the sausages

-in this morning's breakfast.

-Lesley is on her way to see Dan,

-the marketing officer.

-Dan inspects, promotes, defends

-and replies on behalf of the hotel.

-Were they understaffed?

-Were they understaffed?

-

-There was plenty of staff.

-It was on in the conservatory, and

-they all came down at the same time.

-I've spoken to Craig about it...

-..and he said tomorrow's breakfast

-will move to the Alexander Suite.

-It's worth looking at the sausages

-since that's come up before.

-It's not all negative.

-There are positive points.

-We need to make sure

-we respond as soon as possible.

-But there are some people

-who just like to complain.

-There was one about the peas

-being too green earlier.

-That was quite a ridiculous one.

-There are no peas on tonight's menu.

-The room is filled with a touring

-male voice choir from Bath.

-Debs, who's been home to have

-a break, is back to look after them.

-I'm back again!

-I've been home for four hours

-with the little one.

-I did some shopping, had an hour's

-nap and a shower, and I'm back.

-Hannah will be there to support

-Debs tonight.

-I'm from Llandovery and have been

-to college in Carmarthen.

-From Carmarthen, I went to work

-at Sosban before coming here.

-Tonight, I've been serving people

-their food and clearing plates...

-..and serving desserts.

-Tonight, there's a buffet that

-includes salmon, beef and pork.

-It's not too bad at the moment.

-It's been far worse than this.

-Table 73, Hannah's table.

-Over the past two years, Debs has

-received more responsibility.

-Tonight, she's in charge

-of the restaurant staff.

-I don't mind the responsibility.

-I'm quite bossy.

-Four crumbles

-and four strawberries.

-Could you and Amber

-take two crumbles each, please?

-I need three crumbles

-and six strawberries next.

-Seven crumbles and one strawberry.

-What's that one?

-This is the last of it now, Chris.

-Thank you very much.

-Have a lovely evening, and I look

-forward to your sing-song later.

-I've been promised one.

-The Welsh sing beautifully.

-You'll be singing

-all the Welsh songs.

-Has everybody had tea and coffee?

-The first is sitting complete. It's

-time to clear up before the second.

-The staff still have hours of work.

-It's the end of Lesley's shift,

-but she has some work to take home.

-I've finished now...

-..but I'm taking home a pile of work

-to prepare myself for tomorrow.

-Ta-ra.

-It's tempting to push stragglers out

-with a pitchfork.

-There's plenty to do,

-but so little time to do it.

-We've got just over an hour...

-..to make sure the tables

-have been cleared and relaid.

-It's going to be tight,

-but we can do it.

-I haven't wiped Table 70.

-I'm being a bit fussy now.

-I've got worse

-since I started working here!

-We've got a polishing machine, but

-I prefer polishing cutlery by hand.

-If they've got watermarks on them,

-they're not up to my standard.

-I find spitting on them can help!

-The work also continues

-behind the scenes.

-The hard work is paying off,

-and everyone is tucking in.

-What food can Debs look forward to

-at the end of her shift?

-I've plated up something, but I

-have customers to deal with first.

-It'll be cold when I get

-the chance to eat it!

-Potato and broccoli.

-They know how to live in Pontyberem!

-But she'll have to wait. A problem

-has arisen in the restaurant.

-The chef is apologizing.

-It's nice to have feedback. He might

-have added a bit too much seasoning.

-A customer has complained about

-her gammon being too salty.

-There was too much salt.

-We don't always get it right,

-but we do try.

-I'd rather them be honest with us.

-But I'd prefer if they did so

-right at the start.

-We could have cooked another

-gammon to the customer's liking.

-Take a mouthful!

-The life of hotel staff

-is never easy.

-I had to have something quickly!

-Tea?

-That's no problem.

-Yes, it's difficult,

-I have a 39-hour contract...

-..but I do around 45 hours.

-You obviously have to be nice

-to people and not argue with them.

-It's important to be punctual...

-..bubbly and be ready for anything.

-Within eight hours, the room will

-be full once again for breakfast.

-This is the third time the room

-has been cleared and relaid.

-When something goes wrong, both the

-chefs and the customers blame us.

-You have to be happy

-and act as if there's nothing wrong.

-The tips at the end of the day help.

-Hotel life is 24/7.

-Debs isn't going out clubbing.

-She's going home,

-and she'll be back tomorrow.

-Next week, Stuart is under pressure

-as he unveils his new menu.

-Members of a local charity

-enjoy themselves.

-And a special celebration.

-It's Dad's 90th birthday today.

-It's Dad's 90th birthday today.

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-They don't want to leave!

-S4C Subtitles by Tinopolis

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