Peter Taylor OBE
Peter Taylor is the owner and founder of The Town House Company, a collection of luxury Hotels; Channings, The Bonham, The Howard and The Edinburgh Residence all based within the city centre of Edinburgh. The hotels offer their own individual character, retaining many of the period features of Edinburgh's historic past. This year has seen the company's first foray outside of Edinburgh with the recent acquisition of the former Royal Scottish Automobile Club in Blythswood Square in Glasgow, where Peter is creating a five star hotel in a landmark building with 88 bedrooms, suites, apartments and a luxury spa.
Peter graduated from Strathclyde University (Scottish Hotel School) and went on to train with Strand hotels, opening up the Albany Hotel in Glasgow. He later worked as a director with Thistle, Forte and Stakis hotels before going it alone in 1984. He has developed his own particular brand of boutique hotels.
Peter is recognised as a great visionary and ambassador for the tourism industry and business sector in Scotland. Peter is past chairman of the British Hospitality Association UK and British Hospitality Association Scotland. Peter is also the immediate past president of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and continues to work closely with the organisation.
He has been awarded the highest accolate in the Scottish tourism industry, The Silver Thistle Award for outstanding achievement, which recognises his outstanding contribution to the development of tourism in Scotland. He has also received two honorary degrees, one from Queen Margaret University College and the other from Napier University. In 2005, Peter was awarded the OBE for his services to tourism in the Queen's Birthday Honours. In 2007 Peter has been awarded with the AA Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Hospitality.
Peter is also deeply involved as an adviser to the other independent businesses. As part of his role with Scottish Business in the Community he chairs a Business Support Group in Edinburgh and a social inclusion partnership with in the North of Edinburgh.
Peter's innovative, passionate approach to his hotels has created a highly motivated culture within The Townhouse Company. He has successfully embedded his core values of providing refreshing and memorable experiences through a hands-on and positive management style.
The Town House Company itself over the years has been recognised as a group with accolates including; Accredited with Investors in People until 2009 and each hotel has been awarded accreditation of Hospitality Assured. The most recent awares are for Marketing Excellence Awards 2007, VisitScotland Thistle Award for People Development 2007, E250 Business Leadership Award 2007 and also Scottish Hotel Group of the Year 2007.
