Simon Farr has been appointed Regional Operations Director for Thistle London.

In his new post, Simon is charged with establishing Thistle hotels as the number one choice for business and leisure guests in London.

Simon said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining Thistle. We’re currently investing over £100 million in refurbishing our hotels; offering a more modern and contemporary style across our 33 central locations. Already Thistle has refurbished over 1,100 bedrooms and has completely renovated hotels like The Kingsley, in London.  I’ll be working to ensure that we match this investment with our continued commitment to honest pricing and customer care, delivered with warmth and personality.”

Simon will be responsible for a team of 10 General Managers, a HR Manager and a Finance Manager.

Simon, who has more than 25 years experience, joins from the De Vere Venues and has held previous posts at Jarvis Hotels, Le Meridien and Posthouse.

At the age of 14 Simon got his first taste of the hospitality industry working in the kitchen of a local bistro. At 17, inspired by top chef Marco Pierre-White, Simon took on the challenge of a catering course at Clarendon College. From there, Simon worked his way up from small restaurants to taking on top industry positions.

Away from work, Simon is a self-confessed ‘foodie’. Whether it’s cooking at home for his wife, or travelling the country to taste the best menus, Simon loves to sample new flavours and the best dishes.