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At the opening ceremony, we had over a hundred guests and we've only got some 18 service staff that included reception, waiting, the pub, swimming pool and sports. Dan Simmons, Becky and other educational staff were always ready to help for serving wine and serving the tables on big functions. We were a team like one big family. And Dan loved wearing waistcoats.
Service and educational staff always collaborated beyond their roles. And we always provided them with any education program necessary that is hospitality orientated – from all the table manner classes and wine classes through such ones as trying dancing classes. Guests could experience the feeling of living in England even though they are in Japan. We all felt enormous pleasure when we could realize that experience for our guests.
Every one of us from outside Japan had our own weaknesses and strengths. It allowed us to become a family. I'm including the Japanese staff also. We helped each other and formed a bond such as the one a family has with British Hills in our heart.
I was hospitality manager but I did hands-on the same as everybody else. I served tables and poured wine, escorted guests and even carried luggage from the Manor house to the rooms when they checked in. I shoveled snow, and rescued people when they got trapped in the snow. That was part of the job, and I was there for it.
It didn't matter to me whether I was a manager or not. Hospitality was my job – it's all that mattered for me. We were there to make guests’ stay the most enjoyable time they could ever have. It was not just for private guests, but for students as well.
I have a certain belief for hospitality. Hospitality is not a job. Hospitality is a passion. It's a tough business. If you haven't got the passion, you’d better leave it. It is a blessing and passion itself.
There weren’t so many guests for the first three years. The Chairman, Mr. Ryuji Sano had promised every Kanda student would come to British Hills. One group had around 120 students. For the students, the daily meal was buffet service at the Refectory. We still had private guests coming and they would use the royal balcony where they could see around the whole room. And study tours of other universities and high schools to British Hills were increasing too. (5/9)