75 yrs of Hospitality Magic at Langstone Cliff Hotel

Press Officer Rick Purnell writes.............

For their Christmas meeting, Teignmouth Probus Club members went walk about, visiting the well known Langstone Cliff Hotel as guests of Hotelier, Geoff Rogers, head of the family business founded by his father 75 years ago in 1947.

The family came by the property by accident in 1946 by Geoff’s parents Stanley and Marjory, who worked for a multiple grocery retailer ‘World Stores’ and had a fish & chip shop in Exeter. They also did a bit of dealing visiting sale rooms and dropped in at an auction selling off the contents of Langstone Cliff House, the former home of the late Mrs Washington (yes related to the USA President). He went on the wrong day and bought the house and grounds instead for £4,500. They both went back the following day for the furniture sale but Marjory tripped on the steps and Stanley took her to hospital so missed the sale. It took several months of auctions to furnish the house which opened as a seasonal 12 bedded family stay hotel in March 1947. Over the years, the business expanded as extensions for more bedrooms were built, upgrades to ensuite, added facilities like banqueting suite, new kitchens, bar, restaurant, ballroom, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hard tennis court and pampering salons. The hotel is open all year round 24/7, providing a valuable community hub, not only for the summer family holiday visits but all year-round social events, live entertainment, cabaret, concerts, weddings and conferences with availability of overnight accommodation. Many popular entertainers were mentioned – Frankie Vaughan, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Frank Field, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen (37 times!), Sixties bands galore and Lenny Henry to name but a few.

Geoff said “although we changed from a partnership to a company 3 years ago, we remain a family concern with all our 5 children in the business including our 4th generation grandchildren. We have 88 on the payroll plus casuals and our staff are all local and many have been with us a long time. None are ‘live- ins’. Our current development is 15 ensuite bathrooms being totally refurbished, simultaneously in 10 days, start to finish, ready for the Christmas trade”.

The members enjoyed light refreshments and interesting anecdotes of hotel life. The vote of thanks was given by Secretary John Polley who said “I visited the Langstone before Covid and saw this gentlemen sitting at reception and said ‘you don’t look like a visitor, you must own the joint’ the reply was ‘yes I do’ and arranged for this visit delayed by Covid". Several members tarried for an enjoyable luncheon.