Leadership series: Adam Charity

IIn our Leadership Series, we put inspiring industry leaders in the spotlight through exclusive interviews.

In this episode, Krishnan Doyle sits down with Adam Charity, Managing Director at The Coaching Inn Group.

The Coaching Inn Group run 43 individually styled historic hotels and inns in some of the UK’s most beautiful market towns and scenic spots.

Their ethos is ‘Hospitality from the Heart’, and they believe great guest experiences come from a team that feels supported. That’s why they’re proud to be one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work, and a Which? Recommended Provider three years running.

Adam talks about growing up in a pub family and whether he ever really had a choice about joining the trade, the pressure of carrying the Charity name, and what it meant to beat Marriott and Hilton to Hotel Group of the Year. 

He explains what the business looks like now following the changes with Redcat, and what it took to grow from 18 sites in 2021 to more than 40 today, from the structures that supported that growth to bringing long-serving staff along for the journey, including the junior board.

He also takes on the tougher questions. Where are the red lines when you encourage people to be themselves but still need a consistent brand? Why are so many potential sites being turned down? Why are rooms now outselling food in the market towns they’re moving into, and which cost or staffing pressure keeps coming up in board meetings? 

There’s talk of the group’s community work and support for Hospitality Action, whether the £1 benefit helps teams and sites stay connected, the hardest decisions he’s made as MD, whether he can ever relax in his own hotels, and just how much coffee they’re selling if the Maltesers alone cost £100,000.

Adam finishes with what makes hospitality a great sector to work in, and his advice for anyone who wants to build a career in it.